The Sea's Tranquility
by heda reyes
Summary: Fem!Percy. The world hadn't seen her coming. She was like a hurricane, throwing everything off its axises. Perseia Jackson, that's her name. The first daughter of Poseidon. With a face that can launch thousands of ships into war and a powerful legacy running through her blood, she's fully out to make a change in both the godly and the mortal world.
1. Born at Dawn

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything is the sole property of Rick Riordan. No profits is or will ever be made from this down-right, poorly-written, horrible fanfiction.

* * *

 **THE SEA'S TRANQUILITY**

In the land of gods and monsters, I was an angel living in the garden of evil

Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed, shining like a fiery beacon

No one's gonna take my soul away, I'm living like Jim Morrison, headed towards a fucked up holiday

Motel sprees sprees and I'm singing

Fuck yeah, give it to me, this is heaven, what I truly want

It's innocence lost

Innocence lost

 **RATING**

 _T (Might go up to M due to language, violence, and some mature scenes)_

* * *

 **1\. Born at Dawn**

* * *

 **S** ince as long as she could remember, Sally Jackson had known that the world she lived in was a dangerous, unfamiliar place.

Even as merely a child, not even having had her first step, she'd seen the things for what they truly were, and usually, those things stared right back at her. She couldn't quite put her finger on when it had started; when everything had gotten so perfectly clear that she wondered why other people couldn't see. To be completely honest, there hadn't even been a moment of discovery to begin with. It just … was. She'd always been able to see what was hidden. It was so obvious. It was right under all their noses.

When she'd first started to talk about it to her parents, Jim and Laura Jackson, they immediately worried about the state of her mentality. Sally was only ten years old at that moment and her parents didn't make it obvious, but she'd always been a smart girl. She saw it in the way her father looked at her over the edge of the newspapers, she saw it in the way her mother started reading books about parenting, obviously worried about the fact that she'd done something wrong. But Sally _knew_ there was nothing off about her, she was still an ordinary girl on the edge of pre-puberty. She had enjoyed a safe, happy childhood with loving parents and she even had a cat that she'd named _Tinker Bell_. At school, there were no complaints from teachers or other student's parents. She had good grades, did her homework, and had some nice friends she liked to spend her pastime with. It all reached its peak, however, when her parents send her to a child therapist, expecting her to talk to him about the things she was seeing so that the man behind the desk could help her. Of course, Sally wouldn't have it that way. She wasn't some crazy retard, for heaven's sake. She was a completely sane person, the fact that she saw things beyond other's imagination didn't make her any less normal than them. After that scenario and a huge fight with her parents, Sally never, ever mentioned it to someone again.

The older she got, time passing as she got accepted into high-school, the more she got used to the things she was able to see. She'd never said it aloud but there was only one word suitable enough to describe those things.

 _Monsters._

She saw monsters. Dogs the size of cars, completely inhuman looking creatures, people with distorted facial features, and so much more. They never did something to her, though. As a child, she'd never been afraid of monsters because of exactly that. It was hard to fear them when you saw them every day in the streets. So it was no surprise for Sally as, one day, she discovered that she had learned to live with her ability.

Time passed quickly across the land. She grew up, leaving high school and entering college as she got the certificate that she, Miss Sally Jackson, had earned her scholarship, getting accepted into NYU. She'd been so happy and excited about it. The fight with her parents several years ago, when they had taken her to a therapist, faded into obscurity as things went back to normal. Since discovering the magic which was books, Sally had been wanting to become a writer, dreaming about the books she'd publish someday. She enrolled at some creative writing courses at the college and for quite some time, things looked absolutely amazing. College was hard and time-consuming, but it was fun nonetheless and she found friends almost immediately. Her time at college was supposed to be awesome, something Sally would look back at with fondness and laughter in her eyes.

One day, however, changed the entire course of her life.

It was the 22 of September, the day she turned twenty, as she and some of her friends drove to Montauk where they intended to spend the weekend in order to celebrate her birthday. They'd rented a small cabin nearby the beach and everyone was looking forward to it, especially so Sally.

Late in the evening, after they'd made themselves comfortable in the cabin, Sally headed toward the beach, her head slightly spinning due to the few beers she'd already had. Her gaze resting on the calm sea before her, she wandered along the sea's edge, her feet bare as she was holding her shoes in her hands, her dark-brown hair piled into a messy knot at the top of her head. It was this moment when she met _him_. She actually kind of stumbled upon him, seeing him sitting on some rocks all by himself, his eyes fixed on the waves crashing softly against the shore. He was extremely handsome, she couldn't deny that. His facial features were all kinds of sharp and angular, his jaw was chiseled, those strong, muscular arms of his tanned and scarred. His jet-black hair matched his neatly trimmed beard. Sally knew, just by observing him from afar, that he was the most stunning man she'd ever seen.

She had no idea who he was, where he came from, or what profession he had, but she learned that his name was _Poseidon_ which was funny considering the fact that Sally liked Greek Mythology. He explained to her that his parents were really digging those ancient Greek names. And she also learned that she liked his eyes. A lot. They were a beautiful shade of sea green, deep and piercing, the expression in them old, however, and maybe a little bit sad, framed by thick, long lashes she was secretly totally envious at. He had the kind of lashes a girl would murder for. She also knew that he was older than her, older than her mere twenty years of life, but she didn't dare to ask about his age. Anyway, she doubted that she would see him again so it wasn't an important matter to delve into.

After talking with him for about two hours, Sally realized how late it already was and said goodbye to him, somehow feeling a little disappointed that she wouldn't see him again. As she walked back to the cabin where she could hear loud music blasting from, she couldn't help but think about Poseidon, the handsome stranger at the beach.

Two weeks later and Sally found herself at Montauk again. There was something about the beach that drew her, awakened her curiosity, and it wasn't until she met Poseidon there that she understood the reason for it. She sat down beside him again, talking with him about everything and nothing while they stared out at the sea, the seagulls screeching above them and flying close to the water's surface. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but somehow she just knew that Poseidon had a special connection to the sea. He didn't talk often about himself but listened to her ramble on about college, her books, and her friends. Sally had the weird feeling that he knew more of her than she did of him. Though she supposed that it was just his personality, rather listening than talking, and she didn't mind.

Those encounters continued happening. They never happened anywhere else but Montauk, though, and that was something Sally liked. Maybe it gave her the feeling that the breakable bond she shared with Poseidon was special, something that was only reserved for her. As she kept meeting him at the beach, she found out that he was thirty-eight years old. It shocked the hell out of her at first, but upon seeing that Poseidon didn't seem to care much about her age, she dismissed her worries. _Screw it_ , she thought without shame or fear. She was legal and she had the right to meet whoever she wanted, everyone else who tried to argument that be damned.

It all changed when they started to go to the cabin, no longer staying only at the shore. Sally noticed that he started to open himself up to her more, telling her about his brothers and sisters, and his nephews and nieces, and she listened to him with a smile on her face, her fingers absently running over his forearms. He was strong and intimidating, all man and experienced, nothing like the college boys she usually hung around with, but he was also gentle. He had a kindness inside him that she'd never found in anyone else before, and his smile that had deep wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes always left her breathless. Things became more intense, more heated, and when they kissed for the first time, it felt as though she was trapped in the middle of a storm, the world around them disappearing as they lost themselves in each other over and over again.

He made love to her, night after night, his strong hands moving across her pale, softly curved body, his lips tracing every single freckle on her cheeks, her shoulders, and her chest. Whispering sweet nothings against her skin, he moved deep within her as she raked her nails across his back, leaving her mark on him. He caressed her breasts and the curve of her hips while she took every kiss and every deep thrust to herself, shuddering as he came deep inside her, taking her with him over the edge of ecstasy.

Sally knew.

She'd fallen in love with Poseidon.

But she also knew that something was off about him. Whenever he was truly angry, she could almost feel that _heaviness_ in the room. His eyes would flash in fury, the air around him practically smelling like a furious, roaring ocean. He became a stormy sea, aggressive and lethal, and it would feel like standing in a hurricane, struggling for air. It would feel absolutely terrifying to other people, but to Sally, it felt like being set free. There was a hidden power beneath his skin – something dangerous and unimaginable – that made him appear bigger than life, bigger than anything else on earth.

So when he told her about who he really was, she wondered silently if she should've been surprised, because she'd already seen it coming. She'd seen monsters, the real deal, all her life long. It wasn't that much of a shock when Poseidon told her that he _really_ was _Poseidon_ , the Greek God of the sea, of everything connected to water, of storms, hurricanes, and earthquakes. The ruler of the underwater world, creator of horses. Sally felt dumbfounded, of course, astonished and amazed, but at the same time that revelation opened her eyes to a world she'd seen only a fraction of. It didn't just consist of monsters. Mount Olympus still existed, as did the Olympians and thousands of other gods. Every Greek creature or legend she'd ever heard of walked among the planet, and the gods still visited the mortal world to mingle with the humans, siring demi-gods. Knowing all that alone made Sally's head spin, her mind not really capable of grasping that reality.

And finally, she also found out what exactly her ability was. She was a clear-sighted mortal, as Poseidon explained to her, one of the few rare humans that were gifted with the ability to see through the mist that clouded the mortals' eyes, preventing them from seeing the other world like Sally did. It was both amazing and frightening.

As time went on, months passing by and snow covering New York, Sally made a surprising discovery. A few weeks after New Year's Eve, she sat down on her bed in her room, staring down at the test she was holding between her fingers, the two lines telling her one truth – she was pregnant.

 _Pregnant._

With Poseidon's child at that.

It was hard to take that in; Sally hadn't planned on becoming pregnant in her early twenties, after all. She didn't know what to think of that, what she should tell her parents and her friends, and more importantly … what she should tell Poseidon. She wasn't stupid. She knew in an instant that the child wouldn't be fully human. It would be a demi-god – part human, part god. The lump in her throat tightened as Sally thought about all those ancient stories of Hercules, Theseus, Perseus, and many others. Each one of them had been the child of a god, had been forced to face horrible trials only to find an awful death at the end.

Sally was scared, she couldn't deny that. She didn't want such a life for her child, because as much of a shock the pregnancy was to her, she wasn't going to get rid of the baby.

When she told Poseidon about it, he was both the happiest and saddest she'd ever seen him as he explained to her how – after the Second World War – he and his brothers, Zeus and Hades, had made an oath on the river Styx, swearing that they no longer would sire any demi-god children since they were more powerful than other demi-gods. It was then that Sally realized in how much danger the baby truly would be. Hunted by both gods and monsters, living on the edge of two worlds.

With that also came another truth that left her breathless in pain.

Poseidon wouldn't stay forever.

He had a wife and other children, it was forbidden for him to raise his mortal offspring, the Ancient Laws telling that gods weren't allowed to interfere with the lives of demi-gods. He had a kingdom to rule and their lives were as different as it could be. She was a mortal woman and he was a God. The both of them weren't supposed to be together forever.

All of that and much more led to the moment where Sally gave birth to a baby girl after nine months of uncertainty and fear. She stared at the baby in her arms, surprised that it was a girl because they had anticipated a boy. The doctor had even told her that she awaiting a son, not a daughter. But upon looking at the squirming baby in her arms that was blinking at her tiredly, a tuft of dark hair on its head, her heart practically spilled over with love. Smiling in amazement, Sally grabbed her daughter's tiny hand, bringing it up to her lips to place a gentle kiss on it. The girl's eyes were almost fully closed, her small mouth faintly forming a silent _O_ , but Sally still saw that her daughter's eyes were her father's eye color. A deep sea green with tiny turquoise and black speckles around the pupils, the color of an endless sea full of mysteries and treasures.

It was unusual that she didn't have the normal baby blue eye color, but Sally supposed that was something every demi-god child shared.

"How are you going to name her?" The doctor asked.

Sally smiled, not once lifting her gaze from her daughter who was now fully asleep in her arms, her tiny face pressed against the warmth of her chest. "Perseia," she said lovingly, her index finger softly stroking the baby's cheek. "Her name is Perseia Nyx Jackson."

 **... TST ...**

One week after giving birth to Perseia, Sally could go home. She had decided to stay in her own apartment that was close to her parent's house. Thanks to all gods, her parents and her friends were helping her, so that she could balance college and raising her daughter at the same time. They didn't know anything about Poseidon. Sally had never told them anything about him and she intended to keep it that way. Their relationship was coming to an end, she was aware of that, and she didn't want the people around her sticking their nose into that matter, only making it worse by constantly asking her questions.

It was late in the evening when he knocked at her door.

She was busy breastfeeding her daughter, softly whispering loving words to the baby girl who listened to her attentively. Perseia was a quiet baby. She didn't cry a lot, was always constant by being near her mother or just lying in her white crib. But when she did cry, she almost awakened the whole house and it took Sally hours to calm her. But no matter what, she wouldn't trade the happiness that was her daughter for anything in the world.

"There you go, baby girl," Sally muttered softly, putting her down into the crib. Her daughter stared back at her with huge eyes which reminded her so much of Poseidon that sometimes it was almost painful to look at her. Her tiny body was in a pink romper suit that had a sleeping bear and smiling stars on it. Sally pulled her robe tighter around her body, brushing a brunette strand of hair behind her ear as she played with her daughter's small hands. It was in that moment that she heard the knock on the front door.

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Sally looked at her daughter who was busy trying to fit her tiny fist into her mouth and left the nursery. When she opened the door, her jaw almost dropped in surprise as she stared at Poseidon with confusion clearly written in her eyes. He smiled at her, taking her in with his eyes, causing her to pull her robe tighter around herself as her cheeks reddened slightly.

"Sally," he breathed softly.

"P-Poseidon …" she said breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

He seemed hesitant, almost awkward as he stared into her hazel-blue eyes that he'd fallen in love with in the first place. "I came to see you, Sally. And our son, of course. I would like to meet him if that's fine by you."

She took a sharp intake of breath, running a hand through her long hair. Poseidon didn't know that he had a daughter. He still believed that it was a boy. Sally stepped aside, gesturing for him to come in. "Yes, sure. Please come in."

"I'm sorry if the time is not good," he sighed as he stepped into her apartment, his sea-green eyes looking down at her with a silent apology inside them. Sally smiled weakly. He still had the ability to make her go weak in the knees with just one look. His voice sounded strangely nonchalant, but she knew him too well to know that he tried to cover his longing and worry as much as he could. "I must've completely thrown you off with my visit."

"No, it's okay," she whispered in sadness. "You're always welcome here, please don't doubt that. I just thought … that it was too dangerous for you to visit."

"It is," Poseidon admitted after clearing his throat, his eyes wandering across the room, taking in the tasteful decorations and furnishing. "I took care of everything to make it less dangerous, but I still can't be here for too long, otherwise my presence will attract unwanted attention. The child's scent will become stronger if I'm around him for more than an hour."

Sally flinched slightly when her daughter chose that time to let out a tired whine. She watched as Poseidon's head snapped into the direction the sound had come from and she could see the widening of his eyes. Leading him into the nursery, she leaned over the crib, grabbing her daughter who was softly whining and turned toward Poseidon with the baby girl in her arms.

"Time to meet your daddy, princess," she whispered against the forehead of the baby before gazing at Poseidon who looked like he'd been slapped across the face. "Poseidon, meet our daughter, Perseia Nyx Jackson."

The first thing Poseidon saw was a pair of beautiful sea-green eyes that stared at him curiously. His first thought was that the girl had inherited his eye and hair color. She was pouting cutely while looking at him, and he was pretty convinced that she could even wrap Hades around her little finger with that pout and those eyes.

His eyes snapped back to Sally as he whispered her name in disbelief.

"I know," she said with a small chuckle. "It surprised me, too. It thought right until the end that it was a boy, but then the doctor put this beautiful girl into my arms."

"A daughter," he breathed, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I've never had a daughter before."

"I know," Sally said again. She had to admit, she was surprised when she saw an emotion in his eyes that she'd never seen before there – fear. "But as the saying goes – there's a first time for everything, right?"

"I just –" Poseidon shook his head as though not believing his own eyes. Gods, he had a daughter. A little girl. What the Tartarus was he supposed to do with a daughter? He'd always had boys, he never even thought about the possibility of someday having a daughter. As he stared back at the baby who drooled all over its tiny fist, those big eyes still staring at him silently, he knew that he was blessed with something beautiful. "Can I … can I hold her?"

Sally smiled. "Of course."

As she handed him his daughter, he closed his arms around her small body, staring down at the huge eyes that reminded him so much of his own. Then, slowly, becoming familiar with the arms she was suddenly put into, his daughter gave him a toothless grin, and Sally could practically see how he melted into a puddle.

"She's beautiful," he muttered in awe, knowing that he had to prepare his army of Cyclopes for when she was older – just in case some mortal or, even worse, a god might get the idea of wooing his precious baby girl. When he took her small hand into his large one, her tiny fist immediately closed around his index finger with a strength he didn't know an infant could possess. "You do remember everything I told you about Camp Half-Blood, Sally?"

"Yes, I do," she nodded tiredly. "But to be completely honest, I don't to send her to that place at all. I don't want my daughter to be raised by strangers."

Poseidon sighed softly. "It wouldn't be that way, my love. She doesn't have to go all year-long, she could only go for the summer. And when she's strong enough to deal with the monsters on her own, she could come back to you and not go at all anymore. You have to be rational about that. I'm sorry for doing this to you both, but closing your eyes and ignoring the monsters won't do any good. Our daughter has to be trained at Camp, so she can learn how to fight and how to survive. She's a hero, Sally. They normally don't tend to lead safe lives."

"I know." Sally's voice sounded thin.

"My offer still stands, Sally," Poseidon said as he stared at his former lover he still felt deeply for. "I love you, Sally, and I would give everything to be with you and our daughter. My brothers would kill you and our child without hesitation, but you and Perseia can go into my domain. You could live there. You'd be safe there, both of you. I promise that I won't do anything to make you regret that if you take that offer. I would make sure that you have everything you want and ever wished for."

Sally stared at him, not having expected his words. Her heart warmed upon hearing him say that, but she knew that his plan wasn't really realistic, even though he seemed to believe that. She didn't want to go into hiding, leaving everything behind and robbing her daughter of choice. She wanted her daughter to live her life to her fullest, to make her own experiences and choices. She didn't want her to live under the sea, not having the chance to see the beauty of the world and meet other people, go to school, fall in love, build her own life.

"Poseidon, we've been over this again and again," she whispered, exhausting creeping up her bones. "Things aren't that simple. You have a wife and your other children there. I still love you so much, I'll never stop, but I'm a mortal woman, and you're a god. We're just not destined. I can't expect of you the things that I want because you're not human, my love. We have to accept that before it's going to hurt us both even more."

The look on his face was heartbreaking. "Sally, please just …" He sounded so desperate. "I won't give up. I have already built our house in the sea. I'm only waiting for the day I can bring you and our daughter home."

Sally was silent, not knowing what to say. She was almost glad when the baby girl in Poseidon's arms let out a soft whine, looking at both her parents who shifted their attention to her. Perseia looked like she was about to cry, as though she understood every word her parents had shared.

"My beautiful daughter," Poseidon whispered in Ancient Greek, trying to soothe her. "I know you won't remember me when you're older, but I still want you to know that I love you so much. Never doubt that. You're so loved, and I just know that some of your aunts and uncles that do not care about the oath would love to get to know you if they learn about your existence. I know that life won't be easy on you, and I hate that I can't be a visible presence in your life, watching you grow up into the strong, beautiful woman you're meant to become, but I will help you any way I can." His daughter babbled something to him as she lifted her tiny hand to pat his cheek, giggling at the feel of his beard. He smiled as he placed a loving kiss on her palm. "I'm so sorry for the burden you will bear and the obstacles you'll encounter as my child, but don't ever doubt my love for you, my daughter. I'm already so proud of you."

Upon placing a kiss on her forehead, he gave her his blessing. Sally felt his power flare briefly, leaving the fresh smell of an ocean's breeze. As he put his daughter down into her crib, the baby girl fell asleep watching her parents leave the room, saying goodbye to each other with the knowledge that this was probably the last time they would see each other for a long time.

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 **AN:** _So, that's it. I hope you all like it and so on, and I'm, frankly, a review-whore so leave some behind, haha. To those who only read stories because they get off on flaming them, I politely suggest to fuck off. I love constructive and respectful criticism, but I can't stand it when authors get nothing but empty, nasty words._

 _Before I leave and say 'See you on the next update', I'm going to say some words first. The first thing that inspired me to write this story is a lot of other Fem!Percy stories on here and, especially, the song 'Gods and Monsters' by Lana Del Rey. The quote at the very beginning are some verses from that song. I love genderbend stories, because they can have so much potential when well written, and I wanted to try my hand on one of them. I hope I didn't screw up royally. And because it's a Fem!Percy, there are some things that I need to point out:_

 _1) As the story progresses, Percy getting older, she will take a darker turn. She won't go all evil and bad or something like that, but she'll grow darker at the core, because the things she'll have to face … honestly, you can't stay good and light after that. And because that's Greek Gods we are talking and writing about, the series in itself will be much darker. I know, the books were written for children and I love them, but sometimes I just wished that they'd be more mature and gritty. Considering all the stuff the gods have done and the myths and legends, I'm excited to delve deeper into the darker aspects of it all seeing how it opens much more doors for character development and angst._

 _2) I've aged Percy up. But just a little bit. When_ _ **The Lightning Thief**_ _starts, she's going to be fourteen. Which means that she'll be eighteen at the time the Great Prophecy comes true._

 _3) There are a lot of good Fem!Percy stories around here. But honestly, there are just as much of completely ridiculous and bad ones. My Percy won't be a carbon copy of Riordon's Percy, because – for starters – everything's going to be darker. I love reading about a strong leading female protagonist, and when writing about Percy, I think about women like Buffy and Faith, Natasha Romanoff, Santanico Pandemonium, Danaerys, Cersei, and Mrs Jane Smith, because they are strong female leads and they inspire me a lot._

 _4) Don't expect of me that I follow the books entirely. I'm going to divert from canon as the story progresses, so basically it'll become AU at some point._

 _5) I have a website, yay. Check it out for visuals, portrayals, and some information. The link is on my profile._

 _I suppose that's all I wanted to say. I hope I haven't forgotten anything._

 _See you on the next update, kiddos! xx_


	2. Children's Dreams

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything is the sole property of Rick Riordan. No profits are or will ever be made from this down-right poorly-written, horrible fanfiction.

* * *

 **THE SEA'S TRANQUILITY**

 _Not even they can stop me know, their heavy words can't bring me down_

 _No one knows how hard life was, I don't even think about it now because_

 _American dreams came true somehow, I swore I'd chase 'em till I was dead_

 _I heard the streets were paved with gold, that's what my father said_

* * *

 _2._ **Children's Dreams**

* * *

 **S** eeing his daughter for the first time, holding her in his arms and hearing her fragile heartbeat, made Poseidon truly aware of how quickly things could be taken away. And how painful something like that could feel. The few days after he'd visited his former lover and his child were one of the most difficult in his millennia-long existence. Sitting on his throne in Olympus, not even listening to Zeus rattle on about things he couldn't care less about, Poseidon couldn't help but let his mind wander to his baby girl. He felt no shame in admitting that the love he felt for Sally and his daughter was at a whole different level than the kind of affection he felt for Amphitrite and Triton. Being immortal, undying, all-powerful, it was hard to allow yourself to feel that way. To feel that adoration, that unconditional, pure love he had for his child and his ex-lover.

It was so difficult to stay away, leave them be without his personal protection. It was like that for every other god. It was hard for them not to bend to their desires. They weren't human, even if they looked like it. Their emotions and urges were stronger, and it overshadowed any reservations they might have. All the motives for their actions were covered by love, lust, jealousy, and loathing. They couldn't undo what they did, and even if they could, they were immortal and pride always got in their way.

That was the reason the feelings Poseidon had for Sally and Percy were the most dangerous ones a god could feel. It was a love that was both untainted and selfless; it wasn't driven by obsession or limerence.

It just … _was_.

And maybe that was also the reason Poseidon couldn't keep his distance, visiting them whenever the gods were too occupied with their own business to actually notice his quite irregular visitations.

Sally's and Percy's mortal essences were practically shining for him, marking them as his, showing that these were the two people he had to take care of. Olympus could never know about the secret visits he made at Sally's apartment, or else there would be hell on earth. The Ancient Laws might prevent him and his family from interfering too much in mortals' business, but that didn't mean all of them followed that rule.

Poseidon visited his daughter while Sally was sleeping.

Whenever he appeared out of thin air in the nursery, he found Percy wide awake in her crib, her sea-green eyes staring at the crib mobile above her while she kicked around her little feet and babbled something to herself, like only babies were able to do. He picked her up then, surprised that she didn't begin to cry upon seeing him but gave him a toothless grin instead. Patting her tiny palm against his jaw, it was almost as though she greeted him like an old friend. As though she knew that he would never harm her.

He rocked her gently in his arms while speaking to her in Ancient Greek, telling her things that you would only tell a baby because they didn't understand anyway. He told her stories about his domain, about the oceans and seas he ruled over, and how it felt to have power over such a violent force that stood for both life and death. He talked about his love for her mother, about Triton, his wife, and his servants, about the Cyclopes that worked for him and would be delighted to know that they had a half-sister.

Percy was silent, her big eyes focused attentively on her father as he explained how it felt to create hurricanes and earthquakes, watching those untamable catastrophes rage through everything around him with the knowledge that he was safe within the destruction. She let out one or two babbles sometimes as though agreeing with him on some points, and chewed on her tiny fist, drooling all over her fingers and his shirt. Poseidon had to admit that he'd never seen anything more adorable than that.

He couldn't explain how his heart was both heavy and light with love at the same time.

Most times, she fell asleep during his talks, his voice lulling her to sleep. Then he would put her back into her crib and watch her sleep peacefully for a few more minutes before disappearing within a slight ocean's breeze. The more he saw her, the more it became harder to leave, knowing that at some point he would have to stop his visits altogether.

Even when it was day and Poseidon had no opportunity to visit, he kept an eye on Sally and Percy, sometimes even sending his servants to check on them. He admired Sally for her strength, the way she managed to balance her college courses with raising her daughter she loved with all her heart. She gave Percy everything she could; made sure they had a nice home, enough food, and some money for extra luxuries like their trips to Montauk. Sally didn't know of course, but Poseidon always watched them from afar whenever they came to Montauk, his heart longing for those two to live with him in his domain. He listened as Sally told their daughter stories about him, how powerful he was and how he would protect her from any harm that might come her way while she walked along the sea's edge with the baby girl in her arms. The first time Sally allowed Percy to dig her hands and feet into the water was ecstatic for her. She gurgled and giggled happily, splashing her little palms against the water, and it took Sally a long time to convince her daughter to leave the water, because whenever she made a move to pick her up, Percy would start crying in protest.

Eventually, Poseidon stopped visiting a few weeks after Percy's first birthday. He materialized into her nursery, running a bit late because of a council meeting that had kept him back. His lips stretched into a smile when he saw Percy standing on wobbly legs in her crib, her hands clasped tightly around the bars. Poseidon knew that she wasn't far away from taking her first independent step; after all, she could already pull herself up by holding on to something. Percy almost looked _impatient._ As though she knew that he was running late. But as soon as she saw him, she gave him a bright smile with several small teeth already showing, and cried in her cute voice, "Daddy!"

It both broke and lightened his heart as he, at the same time, became aware that this was going to be his last visit. He knew he couldn't stay in her life for a longer time without being discovered by the other gods and it would be better to leave when Percy was still too young to remember him later on. Picking her up, he sat down on the rocking chair with his daughter in his arms, taking a small book from the table next to him. He positioned Percy on his lap, so she could get a better view on the book. She looked at the colorful animal pictures in fascination, making the sounds the animals on the images made and giggling when Poseidon did so, too. He hoped that was something the other gods would never find out. They would laugh themselves silly if they saw him making animal sounds with his one-year-old daughter, but well, he would literally do anything to see that bright smile and the sparkle in his child's eyes. She was still too young to have developed distinct facial features, but apart from his eyes and his hair he noticed that she had Sally's nose and mouth.

When her eyes started to drop closed, Poseidon put the book away and stood up, carrying the small girl back to her crib. He kissed her forehead, giving her one last look before disappearing not only out of her room but also out of her life.

… **TST** …

Watching her baby girl grow up was both the most beautiful and scariest thing for Sally. She watched her become more beautiful with every passing day, making her first step, and saying her first word. When the latter happened, Sally almost broke apart, hearing that her daughter's first word was _Daddy._ She knew that, given a few more years, Percy would start asking questions, about where and who her father was. Sally had promised herself that she would remind her daughter every time that she was very much loved by her father, but that didn't make it any less easy for their future. She was just glad that she had her parents with her. Jim and Laura Jackson adored their granddaughter and spoiled her with all they could.

That, however, changed quickly a few months after Percy's fourth birthday when both her parents died in an airplane crash. Sally didn't how she got past that dark time, mourning her parents and trying to keep her head above the water. Everything fell apart around her as the money became tight. Sally had to give up college and sell her parents' house and her own apartment, moving into a smaller one with Percy in a foul neighborhood. She just knew that her daughter was the light at the end of the tunnel, the one thing that finally pulled her out of depression, even though life was as hard as it could get. She found a job at a candy store that didn't get her much money, but at least it was enough to pay the bills and feed her daughter. At the same time, Sally knew that it became more dangerous for Percy to live among the mortals because her scent grew stronger with each day.

Sally still remembered all the strange things that continued happening around her daughter. One day, when she'd gotten to the kindergarten to pick Percy up, she had found her playing with a dead snake in her crib, shaking it in between her small chubby hands. Sally had been completely freaked out as she grabbed her daughter and hurried home as fast as possible. Needless to say that she'd been paranoid for whole weeks after that incident. Or that one time when Percy, four years old at that moment, had started to speak about humans with only one eye on their face. Of course, Sally had never known that Poseidon sent those Cyclopes for the sake of their safety, so it caused her even more worry. As much as she didn't want to send Percy away to Camp, she knew that, at the end of the day, it had to be done if things continued to get worse. She only hoped that she had a little more time to spend with her daughter.

… **TST** …

"Mommy, Mommy!" Sally looked up from the counter where she'd been busy preparing breakfast. "Mommy, I need you to braid my hair please!"

Before Sally had the chance to utter a word, a small something with adorable, dark ringlets came rushing into the kitchen, bouncing excitedly with each step, holding a small hairbrush. That small something was Sally's daughter, the little miracle she brought into the world five and a half years ago. Right now, the little girl was sporting a puppy-eyed look with her brilliant green eyes, and her hair was a _mess_. Sally almost groaned in exasperation upon detecting the numerous knots in her daughter's messy, curly hair which, as usual in the mornings, looked like birds had built their nest in there.

"Gosh, sweetie, what happened to your hair?"

The little girl patted her hair curiously, pouting at her mother. "You're silly, Mommy. Nothing's happened to it."

Sally chuckled in response to that before she grabbed the orange juice carton and poured the juice into a clean glass, knowing that her daughter loved having orange juice first thing in the morning. "There you go, sweet girl," Sally said with a smile, watching as her daughter grabbed the glass with an enthusiasm that was absolutely unrivaled. "And now sit still while I braid your hair, okay?"

"'Kay," the little girl responded happily, her words coming out muffled due to her mouth being around the rim of the glass.

Smiling softly, Sally gathered her daughter's hair in her hands, lightly dragging her fingers through the mess of thick, inky black curls before reaching for the hairbrush.

Perseia Jackson, or just _Percy_ like she demanded to be called, was a firecracker. She was a spirited and happy little girl, never shying away from people, always bouncing on her steps and smiling her way to wrapping people around her little finger. She adored her long curls, and Sally had already stopped counting how many times she had tried to convince Percy to go have her hair cut. It always ended in a tantrum or two.

Sally stifled a sigh of sadness as she thought about how her own parents wouldn't see their granddaughter growing up. Already one year had passed since the day they died, but Sally had been trying hard to move forward into a bright future. She _tried_ to see a bright future for her daughter with everything she had. The fear of the unknown still remained, of course. Life had gotten considerably harder seeing as how they were now living in a foul neighborhood, the money being tight, but the most important thing for Sally was her daughter's happiness. She didn't care where she lived or how wealthy she was – as long as Percy was happy and healthy, everything was fine with Sally.

There were those times when everything became a little too hard, but seeing her daughter's bright smile made it all worth it, even though it was sometimes painful to look at her. She had Sally's mouth and her nose as well as her fair complexion, but her eyes … those eyes Sally knew. The dark-bright green was entirely Poseidon's, just like the heavy locks of dark, dark hair. Even that quirky little half-smile Percy was often wearing on her face belonged to Poseidon. The way she sometimes pronounced a word or expressed her thoughts reminded Sally of her ex-lover, and good gods, she couldn't deny that she still missed him greatly. He wasn't her first romance, but he was that great, passionate love everyone always spoke of.

"Look, mommy, look!"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Sally furrowed her brow in confusion, staring down at her daughter who pointed excitedly at her orange juice. As she followed her daughter's gaze, Sally tried _really_ hard to keep her mouth from falling open. What little of the orange juice was left was openly floating in the air, just right above the glass. Percy waved her hand softly, making the juice move around in the air, and Sally felt her blood run cold.

"Look, mommy, look!" Percy squealed with barely concealed excitement, turning to look at her mother with wide, bright eyes. "I can do magic!"

Then, the orange juice splashed back into the glass, erasing the proof that her daughter showed the first hint of her powers just seconds ago.

… **TST** …

The incident that morning in the kitchen wasn't the first and only time Percy showed her powers. It continued happening on rare occasions, and normally, Sally wouldn't be so freaked out about it, because Poseidon had explained to her once how especially powerful demigods could tap into their powers by accident when they were young. But he said it would happen _accidentally_. And there was nothing accidental about the way Percy seemed to have almost perfect control over her powers. Sally had caught her once creating water out of thin air, and upon asking her what she was doing there, Percy had explained that she was simply bored and had wanted to do magic again.

Manipulating water appeared to come naturally to her daughter, as though she'd been doing it since the day of her birth.

To top that off, Percy started to become obviously curious about her father.

One day, when they were at the park, Sally had noticed the unusual timidness around her daughter. Usually, she was socializing with the other kids pretty well, making new friends in no time, but this day, while she was sitting in the sandbox, digging holes with her pink toy shovel, Sally couldn't help but notice the demureness that was so untypical for her baby girl. Seconds later, Percy became apparently bored with scooping up sand and got to her feet, running over to where her mother was sitting on a bench next to other women.

"Hey," Sally said gently, her fingers brushing over Percy's long pigtails. She almost immediately knew that bath time would be a joy since her daughter's hair was full of sand. She honestly didn't know how Percy managed to get herself covered with sand whenever they went to the park. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

Percy just shrugged her small shoulders, burying her face in her mom's hair, but this time, Sally noticed which way her daughter was occasionally glancing at. A small girl sitting on the swing, gently being pushed by a man who looked to be her father. The girl was screeching with delight, and her father had a huge grin on his face upon seeing his daughter so happy and carefree.

"Oh, Percy," Sally sighed heavily, pressing a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

Percy peeked at her from under long, dark lashes before quickly glancing at the father. "Where's mine, mommy? Where's mine?"

Sally couldn't help being frightened that everyone around her was able to hear the breaking of her heart.

… **TST** …

Later that evening, after bath time, Sally joined her daughter in her bed, armed with a book that always managed to get Percy to sleep. It was _Snow White,_ her daughter's favorite bedtime story. No matter how often Sally read it to her before going to sleep, it would never get boring to her daughter. She always would ask, at the end of the story, if she were just as pretty as _Snow White,_ and every time Sally said she was ten times prettier.

But this evening, Percy just didn't seem to be in the mood for her favorite story.

The blanket was tucked up to her chin, and she had her stuffed toy cat pressed against her chest, but she wasn't engaging in the story like she usually was. Usually, her questions were never-ending, and her hunger for more knowledge was unrivaled.

"Sweetie, are you even listening to me?" Sally asked after reading about how _Snow White_ found the dwarfs' home.

Percy blinked up at her innocently. "Yes."

"You know what," Sally sighed, knowing that continuing to read would be in vain, so instead she put the book aside, "how about I tell you a different story? How about I tell you the story on how your father and I met."

It worked like a charm.

Her daughter sat upright and tucked the blanket further up, her little hands clasping the stuffed toy cat tightly. Some strands of her black hair were already coming loose from her braid, making her brush them away from her face impatiently, but her large, dark-green eyes were sparkling with interest. "Yes, please," Percy said in an instant.

"Well, all right," Sally smiled in response, lifting her arms slightly so that Percy could snuggle up to her. "You see, Percy, I met your father at Montauk."

There was a small child-like gasp. " _Our_ Montauk?"

"Yes, Percy, _our_ Montauk. The one we always spend the summer at. Anyway, when I met your daddy there, he really, _really_ fascinated me. So I went to talk to him, and that way, we got to know each other. We would walk along the shore and look at the sea. Sometimes, we would just sit on some rocks and talk about everything and nothing; and sometimes, we would go to the cabin. The one where you and I also sleep in when we visit Montauk, you know? Your father made me always feel so special, sweetie. He was always kind to me, and when I fell pregnant with you, he was so, so happy."

"You mean when I got into your tummy?" Percy looked at her quizzically, making Sally laugh and nod in response. "But mommy … why did he leave?" Huge sea-green eyes looked at her with sadness. "Did he want not to be with us?"

"Did he not want to be with us," Sally corrected automatically before shaking her head, swallowing a sad sigh. "Baby, your father wanted to be with us so badly. He was so happy when I told him you were in my tummy. But … he was a very busy man, you see. He had to work every day because his people needed him, they still do. He worked at sea, so he had to be very far away whenever he went to work."

Percy was silent for a few minutes, her hands still gripping her stuffed cat tightly. Out of nowhere, a water bubble appeared, floating around in the air, and if Sally hadn't been already used to it, she would've freaked right now. Percy stared at the bubble for a few seconds before it turned into a small fish that went swimming in practically nothing but air. Then, she asked very softly, "Does he … does he love me, mommy? Like you love me?"

"Oh, baby," Sally heaved a sigh, feeling tears starting to prickle at the corners of her eyes. "Of course. Your father was beyond happy to know you would be his daughter. He always talked to you when you were still in my tummy." Percy giggled at that. "Don't think for even a second that he doesn't love or want you, you hear me, sweetie? You are so loved by your father, and I just know that he would be so proud of you. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes."

Percy beamed at hearing this, and when her water fish swam toward her, she raised her hand as though to stroke him, making him turn into a tiny jellyfish of water. "Really? Like really, mommy?"

"Yes, really," Sally laughed, brushing away some strands of hair from her daughter's face. It was already nearly reaching her butt. "It pained him to go to his people, but he was needed there, you see. He brought them peace. So never doubt your father's love. He loved us both greatly, sweetie, and I still do love him, too."

"Like you love me?"

Sally chuckled in amusement, watching in amazement as Percy formed the water into a tiny man who danced around them with a large topper on his head. Small sprinkles of water rained down on both of them. "No, baby, it's a different kind of love. The love I have for you will never go away, it will always remain. I will do anything to keep you as happy and healthy as you are right now, and no matter who you will become or what you will do – I'd still love you. The love I have for your father is something entirely different. I loved him so much that I wanted to spend all my life with him. He made me feel all tingly and excited, like the feeling you get when you sit in a roller coaster."

Percy, the smart little girl she was, broke into a fit of giggles. "You had a crush on Daddy?"

"You can put it like that," Sally grinned. "But it was more than just a crush. You see, I fell in love with him."

The color in her baby girl's eyes became lighter as they sparked with curiosity. "What's that mean, Mommy?"

"Well," Sally began as she searched for words to explain it properly to a five-year-old, "Falling in love … it's one of the best feelings in the whole world. It makes you want to smile all the time, and you feel both giddy and nervous when you're next to the person you've fallen in love with. You forgive them when they do something wrong because you love them despite their flaws. You want to share everything with them, and all of a sudden, you can't imagine a life without them. You want to experience everything with the person you fell in love with."

"Wow," Percy gasped in awe. "I want to be in love, too, mommy. Will I fall in love, too?"

Sally couldn't help the laugh escaping her. "I'm sure you will, sweetie. Give it some time, and you will have all the boys tripping over their feet for you."

"But boys are stupid." Percy wrinkled her small nose. "I won't share my dollies with them." When Sally let out another laugh, Percy opened her arms wide and embraced her mother in a big hug, a cheerful giggle escaping her lips. "I think I will be in love with you, Mommy!"

"Aw, baby, that's so sweet," Sally cooed, returning her girl's hug just as tightly. She breathed in the clean strawberry scent coming from her hair and hugged her just a little tighter. When Percy let out a small yawn, she knew it was time for her to sleep. Her smile became wider when her daughter made her tiny water figurine disappear.

But if one would look a little closer, they would see the sadness hiding behind Sally's smile.

… **TST** …

 _A freak._

That's what they called her.

Percy could no longer understand the world.

It happened a few months later, on a bright sunny day at preschool. Percy, the social butterfly she was, had decided it was time to show all her friends that she could do magic. She had never been more excited to go to preschool, but unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.

As her friends gathered around her at a small table, she told them excitedly about the fact that she was able to do magic, and when they didn't believe her … well, she showed them. The water in the glass before her slowly rose into the air as she squinted her eyes at it, hovering just above their heads. Percy felt so proud upon looking into the baffled faces of her friends. Then, however, a girl with red pigtails started accusing it of not being normal. She began telling them that her mother had once watched a documentation on how witches were being hunted many, many years ago because they'd had control over the four elements – water being one of them.

"No, it's normal," Percy tried to protest angrily. "I'm not a bad witch."

But the kids took the other girl's side, and soon, every child at the preschool was calling her either a witch or a freak. Her girlfriends started to play without her in the doll corner, even going as far as stealing Percy's favorite Barbie doll. When she got it back, the doll had black eyes and black hair. Upon telling the preschool teacher, the mean girls said that witches like Percy didn't deserve to have Barbie dolls.

That day, Percy sat alone in the break, sniffing quietly and wiping her eyes, her doll pressed tightly against her chest.

Something happened with her powers that day. Percy didn't do it intentionally, but she was able to understand that her powers were a bad thing. People were afraid of her because of it, and so she decided to never, ever use her powers again. They were evil and bad and resulted in fear and loneliness.

Needless to say, it was the first and last day Percy came home after school in tears.

… **TST** …

"I don't like him."

Sally tried her best to keep herself from giving in to exasperation.

Her daughter, nine years already, was sitting opposite of her, her eyes narrowed into green slits as she stared at her mother before sliding her gaze back to the man behind her mom. He was short and fat, his belly expanding over his belt, and he had, like, only three strands of hair carefully laid out on his bald head. His eyes were small and mud-brown and currently glaring at Percy. The dislike seemed to be pretty mutual.

"Percy, please," Sally tried to reason with her daughter, "Just give Gabriel a chance, will you? He was really excited to meet you."

"Yes," the man, Gabriel, agreed. "Really, Percy, you don't have to give your mother such a hard time. I can be your new daddy, you know."

Percy made a disgusted face. She also caught her mother rolling her eyes. Why would her mom bring that ugly troll home when she obviously didn't like him? She very much doubted that she was in love with him like she was with Percy's real father. She wanted her real dad to come back, suddenly showing up at their door and beating her mother's new boyfriend out of the house. Perhaps her thoughts were a little too violent for a nine-year-old girl, but Percy really, really, _really_ didn't like Gabriel Ugliano. His last name said pretty much everything.

"I don't like him," Percy repeated, crossing her arms across her chest. "And I don't want him here."

Sally exhaled loudly.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, causing Percy to sneer at him. It was honestly no surprise that he tried to pull a good front with her mother but totally hated Percy. She couldn't understand _why_ her mother wanted that troll to be her boyfriend. Her mom was pretty with long hair that was brown like chocolate and blue eyes, and she was awesome and funny and made the best cookies ever. Gabriel was short and smelly and ugly, completely undeserving of her beloved mother.

 _Smelly Gabe,_ that sounded perfect.

"Percy, no more discussion about this," Sally said strictly, stifling a tired sigh. "Gabriel will live with us in a few weeks, and I expect from you both to get along decently, all right?"

Percy gritted her teeth, avoiding her mother's gaze before throwing a distasteful glare at Gabe. "Only if he'll sleep in the basement."

"Perseia Nyx Jackson, that's enough!"

Huffing, Percy clamped her mouth shut and looked at her mother, feeling tears of anger and frustration prickle at the back of her eyes. She hated Gabriel. He was ruining everything. It had always been just her and her mother, and now even she was turning against Percy. It was all Gabriel's fault, honestly. Clenching her fists, she glared at him in hatred and jolted to her feet.

"I'm going to my room," she announced, her arms still crossed as she looked between her mother and Smelly Gabe. "Hopefully, you'll dump him into the next garbage bin by tomorrow."

Before her mother had the chance to say anything, Gabriel cut in, "Now, Percy, that's not nice. Where are your manners?"

"That's Perseia for you," she spat at him as she rushed into her room, shutting the door as loudly as she could to express her anger. It was the first time in many years that she felt the need to use her powers again. Or her magic, as she'd liked to call it. It had always managed to calm her down, but her powers were something she hadn't been touching into for a long time, and she didn't intend to do it just now.

That day, she prayed to every deity she'd learned about in school.

It was the first out of many times that she prayed to have her father back.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Please don't shoot me! I know, I know, it's been a long time since I published this story, and this chapter was due for a really long time, but to be quite honest, my motivation was like a wave, always up and then down. But it hit me like a 'lil bitch today, and I finished more than half of the chapter in one go today. I'm quite motivated, and I promise you that the next chapters won't be taking this long to be posted. In fact, I've already started writing the next one!

So, I hope all of you liked this chapter, eh? Honestly, it was so much fun to write about Percy's childhood! I didn't want to make it overly long seeing as how it would've had unnecessary information and fillers, so I tried to tie everything nicely into one solid package. I tried to go into the important aspects of Percy's childhood – Poseidon's inner turmoil, her interaction with her mother, her powers, her curiosity about her dad, and the appearance of Gabe. All the things that have made a huge impact on slowly starting to form Percy into the woman she's meant to become.

Also, _a huge thank you_ to all readers who reviewed, favorited, and followed. You're amazing, guys, I'm so happy and grateful for your support!

Next chapter, we'll be starting to delve into **The Lightning Thief,** and oh my holy gods, guys, I'm so excited, I'm literally jumping here. No joke.

Also, I noticed some people talking about pairings in the reviews, and I still haven't decided what choice to make regarding this. I can honestly see Percy with everyone if I'll get a little inspiration to write about her with that particular pairing. I think I'm going to leave that decision to you, so here's my question: **With whom should Percy end up?** It's obviously the endgame pairing I'm talking about, because I plan on having her have one or two relationships before settling down with someone for good. I'm open for everything, be it femslash, threesomes, foursomes, or things that come to your mind.

The most important thing you must consider is that I won't pair her up with Annabeth or even make Annabeth male. Then, I could just copy off the books, that's just my opinion. This is, however, a complete rewrite which is going to be quite Canon Divergent, so I'll probably shake up all canon pairings, hehe.

So leave me some nice words, will ya?


	3. In the Beginning

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything is the sole property of Rick Riordan. No profits are or will ever be made from this downright poorly-written, horrible fanfiction.

* * *

 **THE SEA'S TRANQUILITY**

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 _3._ **In the Beginning**

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 **G** rover Underwood was a proud satyr.

He came from a long line of great satyrs, who all had sacrificed themselves in their search for Pan. It was unfortunate, really, that each satyr who went on the search was destined to fail. Their stories were remembered though, told to their children satyrs right before they went to sleep. The fallen satyrs were looked up upon, treasured in memories and hearts, and even though it was a mission meant to fail, more and more of them got ready for their adventure to find Pan, their long-lost venerable god.

But unlike the other satyrs, Grover already had one failed mission.

That was a remembered story as well, the story of Thalia Grace, Zeus' demigod daughter, and how she'd come to a final stand at the hill bordering Camp Half-Blood. Grover's task had been protecting the girl and the two other demigods he found in the big, dangerous world, and … he'd failed miserably. His satyr friends told him it wasn't his fault, but Grover _knew_ that, had he been smarter, stronger, better, he would've been able to save Thalia from her gruesome fate which was being turned into a tree. The same tree that was responsible for the Camp's protection.

After Thalia and the two other demigods, Luke Castellan and Annabeth Chase, Grover hadn't been able to sniff out another potential half-blood. He wandered the halls of numerous schools, but the only thing smelling good were the coke cans the teens were always found with in the breaks. They weren't his friends. The kids at the schools liked to pick on him, and Grover couldn't hold it against them. He was a miserable, failing satyr. Honestly, he had no idea as to why he was still allowed to search for demigods, but Chiron seemed convinced he'd be able to find one.

He did.

Months of guilt, self-loathing, and bullying passed until Chiron's faith in him finally paid off, but nevertheless, Grover found a demigod in the Yancy Academy; a boarding school for troubled kids.

It was a girl. (Honestly, why had it always to be _girls?_ They always became so _offended_ when Grover sniffed their hair) Her name was Perseia Jackson, but _just_ Percy for the people who could hold her sympathy, and she was one of those fourteen-year-old popular, socialized girls on the edge of puberty who painted their nails with glitter polish and listened to trashy pop songs.

Grover met her first in their Latin class, where Chiron was disguised as a teacher they called Mr Brunner. The class had already started, and as usual, the seat beside him was empty. Nobody wanted to sit with the guy who looked like a tenth-grader, after all. Before Chiron had the chance to utter a word, the door crashed open, revealing a tiny, petite girl with long, braided, dark hair and a sweet, genuine smile. Her face was so pretty Grover couldn't help but stare at her for a minute or two.

"Sorry, Mr Brunner," she said casually, her voice as sweet and bright as her appearance. "I slept in."

Apparently, Chiron was used to it, as he only sighed. "I already thought so, Miss Jackson. Please take a seat, then."

When she turned around, seemingly searching for a free chair, her gaze landed on Grover. There was a spark of surprise appearing in her eyes before it became replaced with curiosity. She started for his table, taking no notice of how his eyes widened slightly, and sat down on the chair beside him. After taking her books out and dumping her bag onto the floor, she turned to him, her pure green eyes sparkling back at him. She smelled like the cherry bubblegum she was chewing on, and the sweet shampoo scent oozing from her hair.

"Hi, I'm Perseia Jackson, but I insist you call me _Percy_ ," she said in a whisper, holding her hand out beneath the table.

Grover tried to remember how to speak English, as he took her small, pale hand. It was covered in ink, he saw, and she'd drawn red and blue hearts on her skin. "Uh … er … hi, I-I'm Grover. Grover Underwood."

She beamed at him. "Nice to meet ya, G-man."

He assumed she was a daughter of Aphrodite.

Then, however, he caught a sniff of the smell beneath the bubblegum and shampoo, and he had to hold on to the table's edge, otherwise he would've fallen off his chair. Her smell reminded him _too much_ of Thalia's, the smell of a potential demigod child of one of the Big Three. Underneath, he recognized another distinctive smell, a lot fainter than the first one, but it made him so much more confused. He would have to speak to Chiron right after class.

Unfortunately, it never came to that.

Chiron scooted out of the classroom on his wheelchair, and Grover couldn't follow him, because one of those stupid kids tripped him up. He fell flat on his face, his cheeks burning as the teens started to laugh at him. His lower lip trembled. Before he could burst into hysterical sobs, a bright, chirping voice spoke up; only this time, it didn't sound much bright or chirping. In fact, it sounded furious.

"What the heck, guys?" Percy Jackson demanded. "Grover's my friend. You can't pull stunts like that on him."

"Oh, c'mon, Jackson. He's ugly and disgusting. A trip to the floor won't change that."

Obviously, that was the wrong thing to say.

Before anyone had time to react, Percy Jackson decked the boy who'd said those words, and the poor guy cried out as he fell on his ass. Percy glared at him one more time and helped Grover to his feet who, in turn, stared at her with wide eyes. As she scooted out of the room with him, she flipped the bird at the other kids and turned to Grover with a huge grin on her face, knowing she would get weeks of detention.

In that moment, Percy Jackson became Grover's hero.

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" _W_ hat do you think of this, G-man?" Percy asked for approximately the hundredth time. She was holding up a green, flowy top with thin straps, and turned around to face her best friend, who'd been busy playing a game on his Gameboy but averted his gaze from it long enough to look at the garment.

He shrugged. "Eh, looks nice."

"You've already said that to the other four shirts I showed you," Percy said with a scowl. "And stop playing that ridiculous game. I'm having a life crisis here."

"Perce, you're not having a life crisis when you don't know what to wear."

She stared at him, seemingly thinking about his words. "You're right." She nodded with a straight, serious face. "It's the end of the world."

Grover groaned in frustration, just as Percy burst into laughter. "Relax, G-man, I'm just kidding."

They were getting ready for their trip to the _Metropolitan Museum of Art,_ or rather, it was Percy getting ready. Grover finished packing his bag one hour ago, though now he had to endure Percy's struggle with finding the right clothes. It was quite a special trip for her, she even said so herself. Grover knew it was because of her silly crush on Aiden Butler and the fact that boy would be on the trip, too. Percy had been talking about him for the _whole_ day. To tell the truth, Grover didn't understand his best friend's obsession with that boy. He was a mean scumbag, but when Grover talked to Percy about it, she'd told him all about the _Bad-Boy-Syndrome._

"You _are_ aware that Aiden Butler only has eyes for Nancy Bobofit, aren't you?" Grover stated.

Percy rolled her eyes at him. "Oh please, that's only because she's got boobs the size of the Mount Everest."

He spluttered.

Meanwhile, Percy looked down at herself. She was still rather flat-chested. Though, to her credit, she bought her very first bra a few months ago when she went to the mall with her mom. It was her recent memory of her mother, seeing as how that was the last time Percy had seen her. Right now, her mom would be at home or still at work, though Percy hoped it was the latter. At least, when she was at work, that meant she wouldn't have to deal with Gabe.

Over the last five years, Percy's intense dislike of the man had only increased. He treated her beloved mother like shit, he sat on his ass the whole day, expecting her mom to do everything for him, just because he was too lazy to get himself a job. Well, that wasn't true. He _did_ have a job. He was simply too lazy to actually go to work.

Percy did everything she could to help her mom out. She wasn't rich like the other teens at school, but it'd had never bothered her to babysit the neighbor's kids or take their dogs out. She didn't particularly care about her education and got through the class tests with great difficulty, but she tried her best to study properly for the exams, so she wouldn't disappoint her mom with her lousy report card. Even though she was friends with a lot of people from her grade, it didn't mean she was like the most of them – shallow and mean and egoistical. They were nice to her, yes, so she maintained a friendly basis with them, but there was a reason as to why she considered Grover her best friend. He had character. He actually listened to her. And he liked the trashy pop songs she always played on her cassette player.

"What's your deal with that guy, anyway? One week ago, you couldn't stand him."

Glad to have a reason for snapping out of her thoughts, Percy shrugged her small shoulders. There was a reason she didn't particularly like to talk about her family situation; not because she was ashamed or anything, god forbid, but because she didn't want people to stick their noses into her business or look at her with pity clearly written across their faces.

"He's cute."

"You're _fourteen._ "

"So? It's not like I'm planning to give him my virginity or anything." When she saw Grover's tips of his ears turn red, she couldn't help but grin. To mess with him a bit more, she added, " _Yet._ "

Grover spluttered again. Percy's shamelessness and her unadulterated way on seeing things were traits he liked most about her, but honestly, _must_ she always be that crass? He knew it was partly his fault, too, because he was an easy target, and Percy was aware of it. Good gods, he was older than her, but the way she delivered some of her favorite dirty jokes left him feeling like he was a baby satyr all over again.

"I still don't know what to wear," Percy muttered gloomily.

"Eh …" Grover looked over the tops she'd shown him. "I'd go with the green one."

She gave him a funny look before tilting her head in thought. "Nah. I think, I'll take _this_ one. Blue looks better on me than green."

Grover tried his best to keep himself from banging his head against the wall.

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 _I_ f anyone ever asked Percy what she thought about Greek Gods, she would tell you they were a mess of petty fights, selfishness, and incest.

Still, they were interesting.

At least, the way Mr Brunner talked about them was interesting.

She bounced back on her heels, as she let her gaze wander across the large hall they were inside. Glass cabinets filled with precious items stood all around her, and she glanced curiously at an old-looking pipe which seemed to be made of gold. Percy couldn't help but wonder why people would want to look at old pipes. Even if they appeared to be made of gold.

"Are you even paying attention?"

That was Grover. He'd been doing nothing but reminding her to pay attention for the last two hours.

Percy looked at him as though offended. " _Yes._ "

He made a quiet sound, almost like the ones goats did, and turned to continue listening to Mr Brunner. Percy stifled a sigh, but decided to let Grover have his peace of mind by paying attention to their teacher. He had them gathered around a tall stone column with cravings on its side. Their other teacher, Mrs Dodds, stood next to him, observing the students with the usual sneer on her face. She was small and thin with greasy hair and deep wrinkles pulling her face down, but she was wearing a leather jacket, and that alone made her that much creepier. Honestly, that leather jacket was hideous. The last time Percy tried to give her some fashion tips, the woman had given her a month of detention.

Mrs Dodds was one of those teachers who always found something to punish Percy for, _even_ then when she was actually innocent.

Sighing, Percy popped her chewing gum.

The sound echoed through the hall, making Mr Brunner fall silent and turn to face her. Knowing it wasn't the right time for witty one-liners and jokes, Percy smiled at him sheepishly.

"Miss Jackson," he said, his brown eyes burning holes into her, "Do you have something to comment on?"

"Eh, not really, sir. Please continue."

Some of the kids snickered. One look from Mrs Dodds shut them up.

"Well, then." Mr Brunner pointed at the pictures on the stone column. "Maybe you could tell us what this picture represents."

Percy felt a breath of relief leave her when she recognized the picture. She was lucky to have Grover who liked to talk non-stop about Greek Mythology. He was a bit obsessed with that stuff.

"Uh, that's Kronos eating his kids, right?" When Mr Brunner stared at her silently, she couldn't help but sigh mentally, knowing he expected her to delve deeper into the matter. "He was the king of the Titans, wasn't he?" That got her a nod. "Yes, well, he felt threatened by his children, who were gods by the way, so he kind of ate them, apart from Zeus. Because, uh … because his wife gave him a rock instead. Please, Mr Brunner, don't ask me to deliberate this, because I seriously don't know how one can mistake his child for a rock." The kids snickered again, and this time, even Grover joined in. Mrs Dodds looked like she was going to be breathing fire at any minute, and Mr Brunner appeared to be getting a headache, so Percy went on quickly. "Anyway, Zeus was spared. When he was finally all grown up, he forced Kronos to vomit his siblings out, which is kind of really gross, but that's how the gods triumphed over the titans in the war that came afterwards."

Percy beamed at the end of her explanation.

"That's right, Miss Jackson," Mr Brunner said with a sigh. "And can you also tell us why this would matter in real life?"

"Eh, no, not really. Well, unless you're applying for a job in a museum like this one."

"I see."

Percy furrowed her brow, noticing the way her teacher sounded almost disappointed.

As the other kids slowly went out to enjoy a short break, Percy stayed behind, telling Grover to wait for her outside. Before he could ask her what the meaning of it was, Percy had already turned to face Mr Brunner. He didn't look like he was intending to follow them out. Instead, he shot the picture she'd described a sad look.

"Mr Brunner?" Percy said hesitantly.

He turned around to her, looking almost surprised at seeing her there. "What can I do for you, Miss Jackson?"

"Uh …" She wrung her hands nervously, having no clue how to go on about something like this. "I just … I just wanted to tell you that I'm doing my best. It's just, well, … it's not always that easy."

Because the truth was, she hated disappointing her favorite teacher. Mr Brunner was the only one who'd always seemed to believe in her.

"Miss Jackson," he began, and when something akin to an understanding smile passed his face, Percy breathed out in relief, "I cannot tell you that I'm always pleased with your work, because that would be a lie. You're a very intelligent girl, anyone would see it, but you seem to prefer to fancy boys instead of trying to invest your time into your work." Her cheeks burned scarlet at that. "You have a lot of potential, Perseia Jackson. Do not waste it."

She nodded seriously, the burn in her cheeks subsiding a little. A grateful, genuine smile slipped past her lips. "I won't, sir. I promise."

When Mr Brunner dismissed her, sending her outside to the others, Percy joined Grover at the fountain. She shared her lunch with him, or rather, she gave him her apple. Her best friend wasn't a particularly big fan of meat. While he complained about Nancy Bobofit throwing crackers at the pigeons, Percy glanced at the sky above her. Dark, menacing clouds had gathered up there, causing the sun to disappear. The wind had picked up a few notches.

What happened next would mark the beginning of Percy's misery.

Nancy Bobofit approached them. She grinned at them, revealing a row of crooked teeth, making Percy curl her lips in distaste. She seriously couldn't understand what exactly Aiden Butler saw in that revolting girl. Even her ginger hair wasn't that pretty.

Bobofit dropped her lunch into Grover's lap.

Percy rose to her feet.

She didn't know how, she didn't know why, but suddenly, Nancy Bobofit found herself sitting in the fountain, screaming like a pig. The other kids gathered around them, whispering to each other how the water had seemingly just grabbed Nancy. A few of them shot weird looks at Percy, who stared at the spectacle with wide eyes. _Scratch that._ She knew how, she knew exactly why. Her powers had reacted to the sudden fury rising in her when Nancy openly bullied Grover. The latter was also staring wide-eyed at the scenario.

Before any of the teachers could approach them, Percy stepped forward and stared down at the sopping wet girl sitting in the fountain, howling in anger and embarrassment. "You mess with my best friend, I mess with you. And believe me, Nancy, you don't want that."

Then, Mrs Dodds appeared, demanding to know what had happened. The kids mumbled different answers, occasionally glancing at Percy, but they didn't say her name. Nancy was glaring at Percy. She was smart enough not to betray her to their teacher.

"It was so horrible, Mrs Dodds," Percy said worriedly, placing a hand on her chest to dramatize her horror. "Nancy just tripped and fell into the fountain. Poor Nancy." She gave the trembling girl a pitiful glance. "She's such a klutz."

Anyone with a brain could've guessed that she was playing.

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 _T_ he same day, only a few hours later, Percy was wandering the school's halls on her own.

She had her schoolbag swung over her shoulder and was on her way to Mr Brunner's office, hoping it was early enough to find him there. She'd finished the assignment he gave them yesterday. True, she'd been supposed to hand him the work today in the morning, but oh well … Percy just hoped he wouldn't be too bothered with her. She hoped her teacher would see this as a sign of her trying to keep her promise of doing better.

It was a bit weird, walking across the empty floors. She was used to seeing the school loud and full of stupid kids. Nevertheless, her favorite songs of Britney Spears running on her Walkman kept her from feeling the creepy chill she would've sensed without the music.

" _I'm just a crazy kind of girl,_ " she hummed to the music, " _I'll tell it to the world. I've just begun having my fun._ "

Percy was about to throw a piece of cherry bubblegum into her mouth when she felt it.

The sudden chill creeping through her bones.

She faltered in her movements, pausing in the middle of the corridor, and turned her music down. Her eyes landed on a lamp above her that had started to flicker weirdly. Taking her headphones off, Percy strained her ears. It was eerily quiet.

Then, the light bulb of the lamp above her broke with a quiet sound, making her jump.

Wheezing, she put a hand to her chest, muttering out, "What the _fucking_ fuck?"

Percy gripped her bag a little tighter and turned around, walking just a little quicker to escape the sudden bad feeling churning in her stomach. She was about to round a corner when she saw a person's shadow coming from the same direction. _A teacher maybe._ Her heart leaped in her chest, beginning to beat in double speed at the prospect of being caught by a teacher. She wasn't doing anything particularly wrong by walking the school's halls, but she had her Walkman with her, and the use and carriage of electronic devices within the halls was strictly forbidden.

She certainly didn't want yet another detention.

Scanning the floor quickly, Percy inhaled sharply upon recognizing the Biology classroom. Without risking another glance over her shoulder, she hurried quietly toward the door and nearly cried out in relief when it relented, opening for her. Finally inside the classroom, she shut the door quietly and strained her ears. Footsteps echoed through the hall, and then she saw the silhouette of Mrs Dodds through the door's glass stopping just a few feet from the classroom Percy was hiding in.

Percy placed her hands over her mouth.

When Mrs Dodds began moving away, she lowered them and turned slightly to her right.

A startled scream escaped her upon seeing Mrs Dodds standing right in front of her.

" _What the hell?_ " Percy cried out. "How could you … you were outside just a few seconds ago, I saw you!"

Her least favorite teacher wasn't in the mood for conversation. Instead, she narrowed her small eyes, hissing out in an inhuman voice, "It's over, Perseia Jackson. It's time to pay for your wrongdoings!"

In the years to come, Percy would still be amazed by how quickly everything went. There was no slow motion like it was shown in the movies. There was no super moment where the victim suddenly realized what it had to do. In a matter of seconds, Mrs Dodds had turned into a gruesome, frightening monster, and Percy found herself flung across the room. She cried out in pain as she landed on a table covered with Biology instruments. Glass shards pierced the skin on her back and her arms. For a moment, everything she could see were stars, and dizziness quickly took over her small form.

"Don't expect special treatment, child of the sea," Mrs Dodds hissed. Her red eyes glowed down at Percy, her leathery wings stretched out behind her, and her long claws looked ready to tear into Percy at any moment. "Even your father won't protect you when we find what you have stolen!"

 _What's she talking about,_ Percy wondered weakly as she fought against the blackness threatening to overwhelm her.

When the monster placed its claws around her throat, the panic inside her rose to a new level. There was absolutely no time for jokes or terrible punchlines, as Percy realized that she was tumbling on the verge of death. She struggled for air as the monster's grip on her throat became tighter, and its fanged mouth came closer. Kicking her feet and raising her hands to scratch Mrs Dodds' gruesome face, she tried to move away, but the monster was too strong.

 _No, no, no. I won't die. I won't die. I won't._

Goddammit! She was only fourteen. She did _not_ want to die.

There was no way she would face death any time soon.

As the new-found determination inside her rose like a wave, adrenaline rushed through her. For a moment, Percy knew exactly what to do. For a moment, muscles awakened inside her body she didn't know she had. Some primal and animalistic instinct switched on.

"Get your filthy claws off me, bitch," she managed to rasp out and twisted her legs with the skill of an acrobat. With a cry, she kicked Mrs Dodds off her. The monster flew across the room and slammed into the blackboard.

Percy didn't have time to admire the supernatural strength with which she'd kicked the monster off. Instead, she got to her feet and hurried toward the door, forcing her dizziness and nausea back to focus on her survival. The monster seemed to be taken aback by her, because it growled but looked uncertain to attack for a moment. It lasted only a second, though. Then, the monster charged again, and just as Percy was about to reach the door, it dragged her down. Her head banged against the ground, causing pain to explode in each and every one of her nerve endings.

The monster tugged on her foot, forcing a yelp from Percy as she kicked her feet around, trying to get out of Mrs Dodds' grip.

"You're a mean bitch," she rasped. "But I'm meaner."

With that, Percy reached out and pulled the monster's hair. Hard.

It screeched in agony, raising its claws to scratch Percy's hands. She forced her whimper back down as her skin tore. Knowing she had to end it somehow, Percy reached out blindly before taking one of the instruments lying on the table. It was a long, sharp knife, used for dissecting in the Biology classes. It wasn't very thick or frightening, but it was Percy's only hope.

"That won't work, half-blood," Mrs Dodds hissed spitefully.

When Percy brought the knife down, it left a long gash on the monster's face, causing it to scream out in surprise and pain.

Using the momentary surprise and the lowered guards of the monster, Percy struggled it down and pressed the knife to its throat. She was relying on the strength she'd used before, and she _knew_ it was a blind faith, but it _had_ to work.

For a moment, it seemed like it didn't.

In the next second, the monster started screeching and hissing as the knife started to go deeper and deeper.

Green blood splattered against Percy's face.

She almost choked when some of it landed in her mouth.

Then, Mrs Dodds' head fell off, her body turned into dust, and Percy plummeted against the floor. She breathed sharply through a raw throat, rolling around to face the ceiling. Each one of her bones hurt, her head was throbbing, and she was bleeding from various cuts and wounds. Her lungs were aching terribly. Her heart pounded like she was still fighting for her life. Dizziness and nausea became one.

Percy managed to raise her arm to wipe the green blood from her face before the blackness settled in again.

This time, she let it overwhelm her.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I did tell you this chapter would come sooner than the previous one! I am so excited to find out what you think of this, because I had so much fun writing this chapter. Perhaps some of you might think Percy's character is entirely too girly or whatsoever, but firstly, it's my choice. She won't be a carbon-copy of the original Percy Jackson. And secondly, she's a silly, fourteen-year-old teenage girl who doesn't know yet about what or who she really is, and boys and clothes are far more interesting to her at the moment.

So, I do hope you liked this, and every review is appreciated! :)

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 **Thank you so, so much for all your reviews! I'm honestly so flattered!**

 **CatNapObsessed:** A huge thanks to you! I'm honestly considering everything as Percy's pairing, no matter if it's a god or a demigod or a mortal. :)

 **Rose Night 3:** Thank you, really! I'm happy you like it, haha. Also, thanks for leaving your opinion on the pairing, and I can tell you as much – no matter who it will be in the end, Clarisse is going to play a huge role in Percy's life, just like Annabeth. Though, personally, I like Percabeth, but it's kind of overdone with all the fics about them and Riordan's take on them, so I really like reading and writing about rare pairings. :)

 **PraetorFable:** Oh, thank you! I'm a fan of Piper as well, and I've already considered this option, so who knows, who knows, haha. I'm definitely planning to go into Heroes of Olympus, and maybe – just maybe – also into Trials of Apollo … but only, because I honestly think the premise behind Trials of Apollo is cringe-worthy , and I would rewrite it into something else.

 **ShinDragonX:** Wow, thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it! Sally and Poseidon will definitely continue playing a large role in each other's life and in Percy's as well. :) I've also planned so much to delve into concerning the relationship between Percy and her father, so stay tuned, haha. And thank you for leaving a vote on the pairing! Apollo's one of my favorite gods, so I'm definitely considering him among others.

 **TheGirlWhoSawImagination:** Haha, thank you so much! I'm really happy that people are giving this story a chance, and it just gives me so much more inspiration and motivation, lol. I've got a lot for Luke coming up, especially with Percy, but I'm won't say anything. Yet. Lol. And oh my gods, I'm a big fan of Takara Phoenix as well! She's, like, the queen of gay smut. XD I'm definitely considering your suggestions!

 **Guest 2705:** First of all, thank you for leaving a review and your opinion on the pairing for that matter! Yes, I'm totally aware, that Percy's girlish. But I don't see the bad thing about it, lol. To be honest, I've got a little tired of reading about tomboy genderbent!characters, and I mean who doesn't like a female who fights like an animal but still takes her time to dress nicely, haha. Anyway, thanks for your review. :)

 **Kayla:** Haha, don't worry! Even though Percy won't end up with Annabeth, I have a lot planned for those two. And yes, yes, I totally agree with you on the sexist world! I always love to see females in power roles (that's also why I love the new Wonder Woman movie so much), and in Greek Mythology especially it's always been the guys who went down in history – Hercules, Theseus, Orion, Perseus, Odysseus, and so on!

 **Guest:** Thank you! And yeah, I'm well-versed in the books and Greek Mythology, so I do know that Poseidon has more than one daughters, but that doesn't mean I have to go with it, does it? :)

* * *

 **PAIRING VOTES**

Percy x Apollo (6x)

Percy x Clarisse (2x)

Percy x Thalia (2x)

Percy x Piper

Percy x Luke

Percy x Bianca x Zoë

Percy x Hermes

Percy x Zeus

Percy x Nico

Percy x Jason


	4. Discovering the Truth

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything is the sole property of Rick Riordan. No profits are or will ever be made from this downright poorly-written, horrible fanfiction.

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 **THE SEA'S TRANQUILITY**

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 _4._ **Discovering the Truth**

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 **T** he sun shone brightly when Percy woke up.

She could hear birds chirping and singing their melody somewhere in the distance.

Her first thought was, _What the Hell?_ But then she realized she was lying in her bed in the room she shared with Grover. She raised a hand to cover her eyes as soon as she opened them to the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, and when she turned her head slightly to the right, she recognized Grover sitting at the edge of the bed next to her. He jumped when he saw her eyes focusing on him, as though he'd not expected her to wake up.

"Hey, Perce," he said with a slight tremble to his voice. "How you feeling?"

Percy actually wanted to say she was feeling like crap, but then she hesitated. Taking a moment to _really_ think about how she was feeling, she realized that she felt better than expected. Her head wasn't throbbing. Her throat felt perfectly normal. She was able to breathe properly. In fact, she felt rather well rested and full of energy. She felt like she was ready to tackle any hardships the day might throw her way.

"I feel … _good_ ," she replied, the surprise still resting deep in her bones. "I feel perfectly fine. That's …" Her gaze flew to Grover. "What _happened_?"

There was a thing to be said about Grover.

He was a bad liar.

So when he answered her, Percy knew instantly something major was up.

"Y-You don't remember anything?" Grover stuttered. "P-Percy, you fell down the stairs. Tripped, I guess. Mr Brunner found you."

"I tripped." She stared at him. "Right. Fell down the stairs." When the ridiculousness of the situation dawned on her, Percy sat upright and leaned forward to look her best friend in the eye. "G-man, you can't fool me. I was attacked by Mrs Dodds. She turned into a monster, I mean … a _real_ monster. And I fought her, and it was probably the first time I've actually felt afraid for my life. Grover, I sure as hell didn't fall down the damn stairs. I mean, just look at me –" She waved a hand down herself, but while doing so, she faltered.

Her injuries.

Looking down at herself, Percy couldn't help the sudden gasp escaping her. She was staring at flawless, creamy skin; no cuts, no bruises, absolutely nothing. The skin on the back of her hands, where Mrs Dodds had scratched her when she pulled her hair, was smooth. In fact, Percy couldn't remember the last time her skin had had such a healthy glow.

"Grover," she said, noticing the hysteria creeping into her voice, "What's happening here? I was seriously injured, I mean, it's impossible to heal that fast!"

Her best friend averted his gaze. "P-Perce, you sure you're feeling all right? I don't know any Mrs Dodds. There's never been a Mrs Dodds at our school."

His face was red, and his voice trembled. There was no way Percy could've actually believed him. To be completely honest, she didn't even know how to respond to that. She was confused, freaked out, and scared like hell. To top that off, she was beginning to feel seriously angry. There she was, after a fight of life and death, wanting some answers for the sake of her peace of mind, _and her best friend was telling her_ _there hadn't been a Mrs Dodds to begin with._

"Grover." She'd never sounded so serious before. "I _know_ that you know something. Tell me. Now."

He winced.

"Oh no, look at how late it already is," Grover said with an edge of panic to his voice and got to his feet. "I'm late for my appointment with Mrs Kerr. I wanted to show her … eh, well … my assignment."

Percy watched in disbelief as he jolted out of the room, stumbling over his own feet a few times, as she called after him, "Are you _serious_?"

After the door shut behind him, Percy let herself fall back against her pillow. Several minutes passed while she stared up at the ceiling, trying to process everything and organize her thoughts, but at the end she came to one conclusion – she wouldn't let herself get fooled. She _knew_ what had happened, and she intended to do her best to find out what the meaning of all that was. With that, she climbed out of her bed and prepared herself for the day to come. She braided her hair into a French braid and slipped on black jeans and a lilac sweatshirt. She applied some lip gloss tasting like strawberries and put on her favorite necklace that had a trident as its pendant. Her mom had given her that necklace when Percy turned fourteen a year ago.

When she finished getting ready, she slipped into her favorite pair of ballet flats and swung her bag over her shoulder. One last look at the mirror ensured Percy that she was more than ready to tackle the day. The fire in her smoky green eyes glowed in determination.

She was going to find out the truth.

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 _G_ rover was ashamed of himself.

There he was, walking through the school halls, lying to Percy who'd never been anything but good to him. He knew it was inevitable, that she would be in more danger than she already was if she knew the truth, but still … Grover didn't like it one bit. He wanted to tell her the truth so much. Especially after he and Chiron had found her in that classroom, all alone, bruised, and bloody. Grover remembered the horror he'd felt upon seeing his best friend so still and pale. The skin on her hands had been completely torn. Her throat had been so bruised. Chiron had later told him that she'd suffered a concussion and a constricted windpipe.

Thank gods there was something called nectar.

Grover gave a jump when one of the kids bumped him in the shoulder.

"Watch where you're going, Underwood."

It was one of those popular boys who usually followed Percy around like lost little puppies, practically begging for her attention.

Someone else called, "Yeah, you're just a pathetic weakling without your pretty little girlfriend protecting you."

Grover lowered his head, as the kids started to laugh and snicker. The last period had just ended, so it was only expected that the students were lounging around on the floors. Grover quickened his pace, hurrying toward the end of the hall where he knew Chiron's office was located. Just as he was about to come closer, he picked up two familiar voices from inside the office. They seemed to be discussing something … something about a knife. When Grover knocked at the door, they grew silent. Chiron's voice spoke up, allowing him to enter the room.

The voices Grover had recognized belonged to a girl and a boy. The girl was beautiful in an intimidating, untouchable manner; with long locks of honey-blonde goodness, calculating gray eyes, and a slim, athletic figure. The boy seemed to be about seventeen, probably two or three years older than the girl, and he was handsome, tall, and lean, his hair equally blonde but just a tad darker than the girl's. His pure blue eyes sparkled with mischief and humor.

But they smiled at Grover as they saw him entering the room.

"Hi, Annabeth. Hi, Luke," Grover greeted them, sending a quizzical look. "What are you two doing here?"

"I asked Mr D to send them," Chiron answered. He was sitting behind his desk in his wheelchair, his trench coat hanging over the backrest. He had a cup of coffee standing before him, but right now, he resembled the centaur that he was a lot more than the teacher he pretended to be. His longish, brown hair was tied into a ponytail. The bow and arrow he always carried around with him in the camp rested against the wall behind his desk.

Annabeth showed a rare smile. "Well, I'm happy to be out of the camp. I think the mortals' world is so much more interesting."

Grover averted his gaze, and Chiron refused to respond something to that statement. It was a known fact that Annabeth wanted nothing more than a quest to get out of the camp.

"So," Luke spoke up, clearing his throat to break the momentarily awkward situation, "This knife you spoke about, Chiron. What's with it?"

The centaur lifted said object from the table, and Grover recognized it as the long, thin knife Percy had used to decapitate Mrs Dodds. "I want you to take this knife with you for examination. Annabeth, you may work with the cabins of Ares and Hephaestus to find out what this knife was made of. Don't worry; I have already cleaned it off the blood."

Annabeth arched one eyebrow. "Blood?"

"From the monster."

"What's so special about it?" Luke asked in confusion. "It looks like one of the knifes that are used in Biology classes."

Grover shot a look at Chiron, curious as to what he was about to answer. The centaur sighed, "Well, you've probably already heard that Grover and I are watching a potential demigod. The demigod was attacked yesterday. Thankfully, we were able to find her, but it seems like she used that knife to decapitate the monster. The knife isn't Celestial Bronze, though. That's why I want it examined."

Catching the look Chiron gave him, Grover understood the knife wasn't Imperial Gold either.

"So it's a girl," Annabeth stated, as though that cleared some of the questions she'd had without a doubt. "What kind of monster was it?"

"That doesn't matter."

Grover tried to suppress the tremble of his lower lip when he remembered Chiron telling him it had been one of the Furies. Revealing that particular information would do no good. There was only one god who had authority over the Furies … just thinking about it made Grover shiver in fright.

Luke was meanwhile staring at the knife with sudden interest. "This girl … is she someone important?"

"We don't know yet," Chiron said smoothly.

While Luke simply nodded, Annabeth continued staring at them like she knew they weren't telling everything. She probably _did_ know. There wasn't much that could escape the notice of a child of Athena. To tell the truth, her cold gray eyes were kind of freaking Grover out, and he couldn't help comparing them to Percy's. Annabeth's eyes were still and calculating. Percy's green was constantly smoldering and burning, looking as though the waves of the sea crashed against the edges of her irises. The expression in Annabeth's eyes was perishing. Percy's was fierce.

Finally, Annabeth asked, "But do you _know_ who might be her parent?"

"Unfortunately, no. We don't."

Grover couldn't tell whether or not Chiron was speaking the truth.

.

.

.

Percy intended to find out the truth in the library.

Or rather, she would try to.

She couldn't remember one time when she visited the library. To be fair, she wasn't sure she'd been there at all; probably just once on her first day at the school to pick her books up. Nevertheless, as soon as she set foot into the library, Percy could see why she hadn't bothered to visit the place before. It was freakishly quiet. And when she popped her bubblegum, the few students present frowned at her. She frowned back at them and crossed the large room quickly. There were so many shelves she didn't know where to start, and now, when she was finally there, she didn't really know what exactly she was supposed to search for.

It wasn't as though the right book would magically drop into her hands.

"Uh, hey," Percy said as she slowly approached the librarian, who was an elderly woman with short, white hair and a stiffness around her mouth, "I'm searching for something … eh, something on monsters and beasts. You know where I can find those here?" When the librarian stared at her in clear disapproval, Percy rolled her eyes mentally and added, "It's, uh … it's for a school project. For Latin class."

"I'm the librarian, girl. Of course I knew where you can find it," the woman said stiffly. "Just to go to section 6."

 _Wow._

Talk about sexual frustration.

"Right," Percy huffed in annoyance, grumbling to herself after the lady had turned away from her, "If I'd just know now where that particular section _is_."

She was about to leave the library, intending to ask one of the students who'd certainly brought their notebook computers along secretly for help when someone behind her said, "Section 6 is right over there."

Surprised, she turned around and came to face Aiden Butler. He was smiling at her. His brown hair was slicked back with gel, and it looked a little bit _too_ much, but he still managed to look _good_. Suddenly aware of herself, Percy raised her hand to check if her hair was still smooth and carefully braided.

"Oh, eh, really?" Percy stumbled over her words. "Well, thanks for helping me out here, Aiden."

"It's no big deal. I've just finished my assignment for Mr Brunner and heard you talking to Ms Splat."

Percy stared at him obliviously. "Who?"

He smiled wider, and she tried to ignore the delicate swarm of butterflies in her belly. "The librarian, Percy."

"Oh! Right, I knew that," she laughed awkwardly. Fumbling with the hem of her sweatshirt, she tried to think of something else to say, but her mind seemed to be swept away. Honestly, she was starting to feel like an idiot. "Well, I guess I should go over to that section. I really have to finish that homework."

"Homework?" Aiden furrowed his brow. "I thought you said it was a school project."

Percy could've slapped herself mentally. "Oh, did I say homework? Well, silly me. It's a school project, of course."

"For Latin class you said, right?" When she nodded, he furrowed his brow once again. "I didn't know Mr Brunner asked us to do something."

Well, the ground could open and swallow her up now. Her mind racing, Percy just said the first thing she could come up with, "I've volunteered."

"Really?" Aiden looked impressed. "That's cool." He looked down at his watch and shot her an apologetic smile. "Oh damn, I have to go now. My friends are probably waiting for me by now. Anyway, it was nice talking to you, Percy. We should do it again some time. See you later?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied, but he was already on his way toward the exit.

Slapping a hand to her forehead, Percy groaned in embarrassment and made her way toward the section, hoping she would find something helpful there to distract her mind. She had usually no problem talking to boys or hanging out with them, but Aiden Butler made her feel tongue-tied. While her embarrassment slowly ebbed away, she scanned the shelves standing around her. Her gaze fell to a sign with an arrow on it that pointed into the direction of the shelves. Beneath, the words _"Legends & Myths" _stood.

She let her fingers glide over the book spines, reading the titles, but nothing was able to catch her attention. For a short moment where she became distracted from her task, Percy's gaze fell to the windows. There wasn't anything special going on outside, but her gaze fell to a girl and a boy who walked across the parking lot toward the exit. They were both blonde, but not nearly similar enough to be considered siblings. The girl lifted her gaze as though she'd felt someone staring at them. Her eyes encountered Percy looking through the windows, and the boy followed her motion.

Percy backed away from the window, feeling awkward for the second time this day, and went to a different shelve.

Another several minutes passed, and she moved to the third shelve. It was then that a book caught her attention, making her pause. Her brow furrowed, her fingers gliding over the spine of the book. The golden letters read _Greek Myths._ She didn't know why her stomach did a sudden nervous flip.

Looking around at her surroundings in a flash of scary awareness, Percy pulled the book out.

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.

.

 _A_ few hours later, Percy sighed in frustration.

A few hours ago, the book was interesting. A few hours ago, she was excited to read it. Now, things were no longer looking so positive.

She was halfway through the book, and there had been a few interesting things, she couldn't deny that, but she didn't find the thing she was looking for. There were so many creatures originating from the Greek myths, and she'd thought that somewhere in between there would be something on the monster she faced yesterday, but it was in vain.

Flipping leisurely through the pages, Percy wondered what exactly she was still doing there. She was no longer reading the texts, thankful for the fact there were pictures in the book. Otherwise, she would still be sitting there tomorrow. Just as she was about to close the book and call it quits, she came across a page that had a woman printed on the paper. Upon a second look, Percy realized it wasn't exactly a woman. It was a monster that looked like a female, with big, leathery wings, a mouth full of fangs, long claws, and glowing red eyes.

Percy's mouth dropped in recognition.

It was Mrs Dodds.

It was the monster that attacked her yesterday.

But _how_ … it couldn't be, could it? That was impossible.

Leaning forward in anticipation and anxiety, Percy narrowed her gaze on the text below the picture. _Erinyes,_ it read. Below, there was another text saying, _Also known as the Furies. Three female deities of vengeance; Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone._

Percy had of course heard about Furies, as had probably other people, but still … there was no way that Furies were among the living. They were a myth, for heaven's sake! People considered them to be true a few thousand years ago. There was just no way … and still, Percy could clearly remember the monster flinging her across the room, fastening its claws around her throat. Without realizing it, Percy raised her hands to touch the place that should've been bruised. But she'd healed so quickly, so impossibly supernatural …

Taking a sharp breath, Percy shut the book. She stared down at the cover absently, wondering where that left her now. Why had the monster attacked her? Why not … Nancy Bobofit or someone else? Where did she fit into all of this?

She lifted her gaze when she heard frantic footsteps coming closer to the table she was sitting at.

"Percy!" Grover called out upon seeing her. "I've been searching for you the whole day! What the heck are you doing here?"

Instead of answering, she narrowed her gaze down at him. Grover knew something. And he was hiding things from her. So, where did that leave him? What was his role in that mess? Questions upon questions; honestly, Percy was starting to get seriously irritated. She was angry with Grover and the fact that he wasn't telling her the truth. She was angry with herself for coming to the library and receiving a knowledge she didn't know what to do with, because there was no way she could ever go back from that. Not after finding out the Furies from the Greek Myths weren't much of a myth.

She'd never had a particularly good grip on her temper, and she could feel it flaring now.

"I've been researching," she answered vaguely. "How did you find me?"

Grover didn't pay attention to the book lying in front of her. "I've asked around. Aiden Butler eventually told me I could find you here. I didn't believe him at first; I mean, I wasn't sure you even knew where the library is. Anyway, what have you been researching?" He frowned in worry. "Is it a homework I don't know about?"

"Oh, not at all," she told him with a sweet, bright smile. "It's the Greek Myths."

Percy had admit she enjoyed seeing him freeze up.

"Well, if you'll excuse me for a second; I think I'm gonna borrow this book. It's pretty clarifying, you know."

Grover paled visibly.

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.

.

 _T_ wo days later, Chiron knew something was up the second he came rolling into the classroom.

At first, it seemed like nothing was off at all. The students were behaving like the hormonal teenagers they were, growing silent as soon as he cleared his throat. Chiron's gaze wandered further and finally came to a stop at his most interesting student. Perseia Jackson was sitting attentively at her table, her dark-green eyes staring at him like he had all the answers. Grover next to her looked most uncomfortable and tense. The picture made Chiron furrow his brow. Usually, Perseia Jackson was the last one to turn her attention to him. And Grover had never looked so anxious in his class before.

"Today, we're going to have a discussion about what we call the Greek Gods," Chiron announced, frowning when he heard a small whimper coming from Grover. "And how the Ancient Greeks perceived them. Can someone tell me what you understand by the term _Greek Gods_?"

No one raised his hand.

Chiron was just about to sigh and start to explain when he saw a hesitant hand lifting. His eyebrows shot a little higher upon realizing the hand belonged to Percy.

"Yes, Miss Jackson?"

"Well," she began, and for the first time that day, Chiron was able to detect a bit of uncertainty in her eyes, "Mostly, the Greek Gods were associated with the twelve main deities that resided on Mount Olympus. There were Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Ares, Hermes, Hephaestus, and Dionysus. In some versions, the gods Hades and Hestia are mentioned along with them, but they were never, like, a part of the Twelve; besides Hestia, but she stepped back from her throne for Dionysus. Uhm … also, the Gods were considered to be responsible for the world's natural order and most of the natural disasters. For example, Zeus was believed to rule the heavens, and Demeter was believed to be responsible for the harvest."

Chiron blinked slowly. "That's … true, Miss Jackson. Very good."

She smiled, proud of herself.

"Since Miss Jackson delivered an excellent answer, we will go back to my first question – how did the Ancient Greeks perceive the Gods?"

Again, no one raised his hand.

And again, it was Percy who did it a few seconds later.

"They were cruel, for starters," she said casually. Chiron couldn't help but blink in shock, having not expected that statement. "I believe nobody remembers the gods; or at least, how they really were. They were untouchable idols of power and divinity. The Ancient Greeks loved, and feared, and worshiped them. The best of what you had was given to the Gods, and any selfishness was viewed as apostasy. No one questioned their reign, and no one dared defy them for fear of the retribution. The Gods were all-mighty and petty beyond belief; but everyone was kept in line that way."

Chiron assumed it was the first time in his long, long life that he didn't know what to say.

Percy Jackson had always been somewhat of a mystery to him.

His gaze wandered over to Grover, who looked almost scared now, and when he glanced back at Percy, he found her smiling in triumph. Clearing his throat, Chiron managed to say, "That's an interesting answer, Miss Jackson. If I may ask, where did you obtain that presumption?"

Percy's smile grew cheeky. "Well, I looked into a book, of course."

For the rest of the period, Chiron kept an eye on the girl. When Grover told him he found a demigod in this school, he hadn't expected her to be … well, to be who she was. And when Grover informed him of the fact that she smelled vaguely like Thalia Grace, like a demigod child of one of the Big Three, Chiron had known she might change everything for either the better or the worse.

If what he believed about her divine parent was true, then … well, they were all in for a big surprise.

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 _P_ ercy was pretty sure that Mr Brunner had to do something with that fucking mess, too.

Later that day, while she was on her way to the city, Percy mused about the Latin class and the way her teacher had reacted to her peculiar answers. Truth be told, she'd read a lot in the past two days, learning more about Greek monsters than she had ever believed she would. But seeing the way Mr Brunner had exchanged glances with Grover the whole time, ensured her in her suspicion that her teacher and her best friend knew a lot more than they pretended to do. Percy was sure that, given some time, she would get the truth out of Grover, but first, she wanted to take care of some things by herself.

That's how she found herself in Chinatown.

Truthfully, nobody knew she was there.

She didn't tell Grover anything about her little trip, and she'd used the excuse of needing to go to the New York Public Library for some researching in order to convince the headmaster. Percy had to stifle a grin upon imagining their reactions to learning she was actually intending to visit a martial arts school. Grover would have probably fainted. The headmaster would've thought she was planning to commit a crime.

The streets of Chinatown were crowded, and the weather was horrible, but when Percy found her destination, she felt giddier than she was ready to admit. The school was a small, shabby building with gray walls covered with graffiti. First, she thought she had the wrong place, but upon entering the building, she heard the sounds of fighting and loud voices yelling instructions. The front hall was small and fairly dark, a staircase in the corner probably leading up into the office. Paper announcements were pinned to the blackboard, but Percy didn't pay a lot of attention to them.

Instead, she went further into the room until she stopped at the entrance to a large hall. Sport mattresses were lying around in the hall, and she counted ten people, all of them fighting. There was a single Asian man who wasn't. He was tall and lean, with black hair and a strict face, and he stood next to a couple, observing their fight. Percy tried to suppress a wince when one of them flipped the other one down into the mattress. The man's gaze fell to her, and he narrowed his eyes before telling something to the fighting couple. When he moved away from them, approaching Percy, she tried to hold her own instead of turning and running away.

"What do you want, girl?" the man barked, eyeing her pink leather jacket and her glitter nail polish with distaste. "Have you gotten lost?"

Percy frowned. "What? No, I –"

"I suggest you to leave. This is no place for little girls like you. The door is right behind you, girl."

Her mouth fell open. She could _not_ believe the rudeness of this guy. She'd come to this place for advice and practice, because since the day of the monster's attack she'd been wondering what else there was. Percy still clearly remembered the momentary super strength she'd felt and possessed, and she wanted to _learn_ more. She wanted to find out what exactly she was capable of, whether she could actually become stronger, faster, and better. Just because she was wearing a pink leather jacket and glitter nail polish didn't mean she was weak or stupid.

And she sure as hell wouldn't back down because of a guy who thought it hilarious to snub her.

"Listen here, _boy_ ," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, "You don't get to say things like that to me. I've done nothing to you. I'm here, because I want to learn, and your announcement in the newspaper said you were looking for people who want to do exactly that. I know that I'm young, but I'm ambitious. So, your rudeness is completely out of place. And you certainly don't talk to a lady _like that_."

He narrowed his eyes at her. For a second there, Percy truly believed he would start yelling at her, but he remained silent. He appraised her, and something seemed to pass through his eyes. Pursing his lips, he asked, "What do you want, girl?"

Percy exhaled loudly.

"I wanna learn how to fight."

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 _H_ alf an hour later, Percy left the school with a semi-pleased expression on her face.

She still got the feeling that the instructor, Mr Liu, didn't take her serious, but at least, he'd agreed to admit her into the program. Percy had expected him to give her a schedule or maybe show her the training process, but he'd simply dropped a book on yoga and meditation into her hands, telling her to learn how to be aware of herself and her body first.

Percy huffed in annoyance.

Swinging her bag over her shoulder, she crossed the street, intending to take a cab back to school, but her plan quickly got distracted when she caught sight of a fruit stand. They had the most tasty looking apples she'd ever seen. She _was_ a little hungry, seeing as how she'd missed lunch at the school; and even though it looked like it was going to rain soon, she did have a little time on her hands. Deciding to let the cab she'd wanted to catch drive away, she approached the fruit stand.

Three old ladies sat behind it.

They looked ancient, if you could put it like that. Deep wrinkles pulled their faces down, silver hair tied back in bandannas, their bony arms sticking out of their bleached cotton dresses. But their eyes … their eyes, though, sparked with power, knowledge, and pride. Like they knew all the secrets of the universe. They were knitting huge socks, and the lady in the middle held an enormous basket of electric-blue yarn.

"Hi," Percy said, sweeping her gaze over the fruit, "Wow, these look absolutely delicious. I don't even know which ones to pick."

The lady in the middle looked at her with a piercing gaze. "Take a little bit from each, dear."

"Yeah, I think that's the right idea," Percy laughed and held up an apple. It was smooth and a deep dark-red, and she frowned in playful concern. "It's not poisoned, is it?"

A shadow of a smile passed over their old faces, but they remained silent instead of replying. The women on the right and the left took out a small bag respectively, and the lady in the middle reached out to fill the right bag with rich cherries, strawberries, and grapes. The left bag was quickly filled with juicy apples, pears, and peaches, and it all looked so wonderful that Percy felt her mouth watering. When she turned to search for her purse in her bag, the lady on the left stopped her with a gentle wave of her bony, thin hand.

"There is no need for that, dear," she said, her glossy eyes staring right at Percy. "Put your money back."

Trying to answer, Percy found that she couldn't. Upon looking into the woman's eyes, she was finding it harder and harder to form coherent sentences, and where she should see a faint reflection of herself in the old lady's eyes, she saw … someone else. She saw a grown woman with long, black hair flowing in the wind. Her face was strikingly beautiful, her eyes glowing with sea-green fire. She had an aura of power that sent a chill down Percy's spine. But the thing that scared her the most was the frightening resemblance between herself and the woman.

As quickly as the picture had appeared, as quickly it also disappeared.

Wondering whether or not she was beginning to imagine things, Percy tried to get her voice back.

"Thank you," she said genuinely, still a bit unsettled by what she'd seen. "That's really kind."

As Percy walked away, she wondered what the deal was with those old women. She had sensed something familiar upon approaching them, something like the feeling she'd gotten with Mrs Dodds. Though, it wasn't fear or anxiety. It had been a feeling of utmost awe and respect. They were something else entirely, she was able to tell that, because if there was one thing she didn't believe in, it was coincidences.

Taking a little bite from one of the strawberries, Percy glanced back at the ladies, just as the middle one cut the yarn.

Percy could've sworn that she heard the snip echoing across the street.

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.

.

 _H_ er father was Poseidon.

As crazy and insane as it might sound, Percy truly believed that her father was the all-mighty God of the Sea.

The realization dawned on her when she climbed into her bed later that day. Grover was already fast asleep, his loud snores echoing through their room. Percy clasped her lips around the flashlight she'd snitched from Grover and looked at the books and notes she'd laid out in front of her. She'd written down all Gods she was able to find in the books, trying to tighten the connection they had with monsters. Trying to find out how she fit into all of it. She suspected that Mrs Dodds had been especially after her; otherwise, why would she have attacked Percy?

 _It's over, Perseia Jackson,_ Mrs Dodds had said, _It's time to pay for your wrongdoings._

But what wrongdoings had she talked about?

Honestly, Percy was beginning to see why the heroes in the movies kept the villains hostage for questioning. She was badly regretting that she hadn't been able to do that with Mrs Dodds.

 _Don't expect special treatment, child of the sea,_ Percy heard her voice, _Even your father won't protect you when we find what you have stolen._

So, she'd been accused of having stolen something. Nothing unusual there, except Percy couldn't even remember a time she'd gone as far as to steal something. The biggest thing was, however, the fact that Mrs Dodds had talked about her father. How the fuck did her _father_ fit into that mess? Percy had never heard anything from her real father, she didn't even know his name. The only thing she knew was that he had apparently black hair and green eyes, just like her; but she knew that because of her mother's stories.

Rubbing her forehead, trying to prevent a major headache from appearing, Percy struggled to put the pieces together.

 _Child of the sea … your father won't protect you … child … father … Fury … Greek Myths …_

Percy gasped, remembering a certain chapter she'd seen in one of the books. Flipping quickly through the pages, she stopped dead as her eyes settled on the chapter title; _Demigods & Heroes. _She sucked the words below in like a dry sponge in search for water: _Half-human, half-god. A demigod possesses God like characteristics, in which some are humanly impossible, or exaggerations in which a mortal couldn't obtain; however, possesses certain mortal characteristics which leaves them vulnerable by mortal standards._

Percy fell back in shock, her mind racing.

The strength she'd shown upon being attacked, her water powers she'd used as a child, all the supernatural things she remembered seeing, all the things she remembered experiencing … all of it seemed to make perfect sense now. Then, she caught her breath upon realizing the connection between her water powers and the name Mrs Dodds had called her – _child of the sea._

Her eyes fell to a God whose name she'd scribbled down on a piece of paper. Mentally, she heard her mother's voice saying, _Lost at sea, your father was powerful and strong, he worked at sea._

 _I'm a demigod,_ Percy realized, cringing at how absolutely insane that sounded.

And her father was Poseidon.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Yeah, I have no idea what's wrong with me. I just know that I'm in a writing flow, I've got nothing to do, and it's raining non-stop here. For me, rain's just the perfect weather for writing, you know? Anyway, that's good for you, I guess! Having this chapter so quickly, and it was really fun for me to write; I just really enjoy writing about Percy – especially that scene in the library, with Aiden Butler. C'mon, who hasn't embarrassed himself in front of his crush just once? Whatevs, I hope you liked it! :)

Every review is appreciated!

* * *

 **Thank you so, so much for all your reviews!**

 **:** Oh, I didn't open a poll or something, so a review is completely fine, haha. Anyway, thank your for reviewing and leaving your vote!

 **XSkiesofBlue11:** You have no idea how much your words mean to me! Awaking emotions in my readers is honestly one of the most important things for me when I write a new chapter, and hearing that makes it so worth it. Thank you! :)

 **OriontheGreat:** Thank you! :) I'm really happy you liked it, and your reviews just got me grinning so big. To tell the truth, Poseidon and Sally are one of my OTPs from PJO, because it always seemed to me like they had a really great love, and I think it's so much sadder to know that they are one of those couple whose happy-end is never going to happen. I kind of think it's sad that we didn't get, like, anything about them – because I would be curious how it was for my mother if I were Percy, honestly. So, thanks again for your kind reviews!

 **Arianna Le Fay:** Thanks! Yeah, I know, haha. Percy might really be one of Aphrodite's, but don't worry, there's a huge character development waiting for her; and sometimes, it won't be good. At least, not for her. She'll grow up eventually, but before that happens, she'll have to walk a hard, long path. And about her powers – let's just say, she's one of a kind, haha. Regarding your question about Apollo – yes, if he ends up her pairing, he will change. Really, I can't stand stories where Percy, no matter if female or male, gets together with a God, who cheats on her. Cheating is unacceptable for me.

 **Awesomeness641998:** Thank you! To answer your question regarding the knife – it's neither of the things you mentioned, haha. :)

 **Dumat:** Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, I agree on that point, there are not too few Percy/Apollo stories, but honestly, most of them are just cringe-worthy or unfinished, haha. But I agree with you on the other points, and I also love Piper/Percy stories. There aren't a lot of them, unfortunately.

 **Dark Serpent Cat:** Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :) So, to answer your questions: **1)** Haha, thanks for the suggestions! Hades is definitely one of my favorite gods, and I just cannot stand how unfair he gets sometimes treated. **2)** Not really, no. xD I was searching for a short name from the Greek Myths, and Nyx just sounded good to me, haha. **3)** Uh, I don't know about that. She'll definitely have some cool powers inherited from her father, but spell casting and actual magic? She'll surely come into contact with it, but she won't be able to do it herself. **4)** Yup, I'm considering everything you might throw at me, haha. :) **5)** Romantically? I don't know. I'll have to think about that more thoroughly. Though, she will interact a lot more with Kronos than in the original books. Percy didn't have a lot of time to get to know his granddad, after all. XD

 **Guest:** Thanks for reviewing! But I disagree with you on Apollo; yes, that's how Riordan portrays him most of the time, but Apollo's actually considered to be one of the most complex deities. Just look him up if you want. :) He was a lot more crueler than Riordan actually told us, lol.

* * *

 **PAIRING VOTES**

Percy x Apollo (14x)

Percy x Clarisse (7x)

Percy x Thalia (6x)

Percy x Piper (2x)

Percy x Luke (2x)

Percy x Bianca x Zoë

Percy x Hermes

Percy x Zeus

Percy x Nico (2x)

Percy x Jason (4x)

Percy x Katie

Percy x Malcolm

Percy x Connor

 **Okay, that's a lot though, haha. I'm closing the vote with the next chapter, so leave yours while you still have the chance!**


	5. The Final Talk

**DISCLAIMER:** Everything is the sole property of Rick Riordan. No profits are or will ever be made from this downright poorly-written, horrible fanfiction.

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 **THE SEA'S TRANQUILITY**

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 _5._ **The Final Talk**

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" **E** ast One-hundred-and-fourth and First," Percy told the driver as soon as she took a seat in the yellow cab.

The driver, a middle-aged man with a cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth, glanced into the rearview mirror and nodded at her. As he drove off, Percy couldn't help but notice in relief that he'd at least opened his window. Having been given no choice but to live with Gabe Ugliano under the same roof for almost five years made her no stranger to cigarettes, but she still couldn't stand the smell of it.

Leaning her forehead against the glass of the window, Percy looked at the city and the people hurrying from street to street that they passed on their way to her home. She had parted ways with Grover back at the bus station, telling him her mom would pick her up, though that wasn't the truth. Her mom was probably still at work if she had to take a guess. But ever since the day of Mrs Dodds' attack, Grover had been acting jumpy and skittish, almost paranoid so, and Percy hadn't been able to stand it for a longer time. She didn't tell him about her discovery of being the daughter of Poseidon. First, she had to come to terms with it on her own, and before she went spilling out that particular little information, she wanted to have a talk with her mother.

 _If_ someone would have all the answers, it had to be her mother, right?

At least, Percy hoped so.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she raised her hand to rub her eyes. She was a little sleepy, seeing as how she hadn't been able to have a long, good sleep since the crap with Mrs Dodds, the Fury, happened. When Percy _did_ have more than four hours worth of sleep, she was plagued by nightmares, experiencing that incident in the classroom again and again. Needless to say, she woke up covered in cold sweat after those nightmares. Knowing there were monsters among the living world had her acting more careful than usual, her becoming consequently more aware of her surroundings, and Percy had certainly noticed the slightest hesitation she would show when being approached by strangers.

She couldn't help but wonder if those people were something completely else than they pretended to be.

It was all a big, dangerous mess, and Percy had no idea where to start to sort it.

To top that off, her report card said that she wouldn't return to Yancy Academy at the start of the next term. Not that Percy was saddened by it or anything, but she worried about Grover and how he would manage himself among the bullies and the kids there. She'd made him promise to visit her every now and then, not wanting to lose contact with the first real friend she'd made in all her life. He wasn't telling her the whole truth, and the entire school had seemed to believe there had never been a Mrs Dodds to begin with, but Grover had been a great friend. As soon as she figured out his role in the mess, she would be willing to abandon the small grudge she was holding toward him.

The realization that she was Poseidon's child had opened her eyes in a way she'd never have expected, and it was hard for her to understand and grasp it, but at the same time, she knew there wasn't any other explanation. It was the hard, ugly truth, and she had to swallow it like the bitter pill it was. She couldn't go back to the way things were before, not with that kind of knowledge, and there _was_ fear inside her among other things, but she also couldn't help but wonder … and be _curious_.

She didn't just want to know where the gods were, she wanted to know _how_ they were. The idea of there being _gods_ was probably the hardest thing for her to come to terms with, but she found herself eager to find out what their personalities were made of. It made Percy wonder if this was the chance to prove herself, to break out of society's chains and be something else, be something more than she was now. She had no idea what the future held for her, but she would be more than willing to try and find her place in the world of gods and monsters.

"Miss," the taxi driver grunted at that moment, "We're there."

Percy looked up in surprise, finding that they'd, indeed, arrived. She had been so consumed in her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed the car coming to a stop.

After the driver had helped her retrieve her bags from the trunk, Percy thanked him and gave him some bills. He drove off, leaving her standing alone in front of the apartment block she lived in with her mom and Gabe. It was tall and shabby and had tiny balconies that seemed to be unstable enough to fall off under the lightest pressure. Percy's gaze wandered further upwards, coming to a rest on the dark, dark sky. The huge clouds gathering above her looked dangerous and menacing. When the wind picked up a few notches, making her long hair whirl into her face, Percy tightened the grip on her bags and walked toward the heavy metal door. She passed a group of boys a little older than her and raised her head high when she noticed them silencing, their eyes trailing her figure up and down. Rolling her eyes upon hearing the wolf whistles behind her, she entered the apartment block.

Since the apartment was located on the sixth floor, Percy had to take the elevator which always rattled and rumbled whenever she used it. Honestly, the whole building was a ruin.

When she finally unlocked the door and entered the apartment, she grimaced upon detecting the sound of male voices and the TV. It smelled like beer, cigarettes, and cheap cologne everywhere. Percy shoved the dirty shoes standing in front of the door aside and walked to the doorway leading into the living room.

Gabe was sitting at the coffee table with his neighbor buddies. They were busy playing poker by the looks of it, and she scrunched her nose in disgust as she took notice of the beer bottles lying everywhere. The ashtray was nearly overflowing with smokes. Gabe himself looked like his usual self – dressed in a white wifebeater that was covered with stains, and old jeans. The three hairs on his head looked like he'd actually bothered to lay them carefully out on his bald head, and it seemed as if he'd put on even more weight. He also hadn't probably shaved _in months._

His poker buddies didn't look any better.

"Where's my mom?" Percy asked coolly, making herself present.

Gabe's small, pig-like eyes narrowed in on her. "Oh, look who's there. It's the super brain. Anyway, you got any cash?"

"No," she answered rigidly. "You want money? Earn it yourself."

Her stepfather's eyes narrowed as he grimaced in fury. When he started to rise, raising his fist threateningly, Percy tried her best not to flinch away. He let his hand slip against her one time a few years ago, and it wasn't a fond memory. In fact, she tried to suppress it as much as she could. The only thing she was glad about regarding that incident was the scar on the back of his left hand, where she'd rammed a kitchen knife into. He hadn't been trying to lay a hand on her since that day, probably remembering the fact that she wasn't repelled against defending herself and using a knife against him.

"C'mon, man," one of his buddies said, laying a hand on his shoulder, "The girl just got home."

Gabe sat back again, but he was still glaring at Percy in a way that told her he wouldn't forget her words.

"So, I've asked you a question." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Where's my mom?"

"At work, you freak. Bet she won't be much happy about your fucking report card."

 _Screw you, asshole,_ Percy said to him mentally as she pressed her lips into a thin line and turned to leave the living room. With a snarl, she kicked a beer bottle out of the way and walked into the kitchen. It was the only room not filled with Gabe's crap, probably because this was her mother's territory. She'd never allow him to place his dirty boots or his ashtray in the kitchen.

"Damn, Gabe," Percy heard one of the slimy poker buddies say, just as she was about to reach for a glass on the shelves, "You didn't tell us that she's such a pretty thing."

Gabe snickered derisively, "Yeah, she's a fine piece of ass."

Percy gritted her teeth, a shiver of disgust and discomfort rolling down her spine. She filled her glass with some water and downed it in one go before rinsing the glass out and placing it back on the shelve. She took her black cardigan off, throwing it over the backrest of one of the chairs, and braced her hands against the kitchen counter. She closed her eyes. The window was tilted, making the sounds of the city from afar stream into her ears – the barking of a dog, the late traffic, cars honking down the streets –, but it didn't help her shaking off the uncomfortable feeling she always got around Gabe. She knew he wouldn't dare to lay a hand on her in _that way_ , but the occasional glances he gave her when she was back at home were enough to fill her with loathing and disgust toward him.

She hated him.

She was surprised at herself, for being able to feel such an amount of aggressive hate, but she loathed him more than anything.

As she kept her eyes closed, Percy felt a weird kind of anxiety bubble up in her, the same one she'd had with Mrs Dodds in that classroom. She could see the glowing red eyes behind her shut eyes again, the claws around her throat, squeezing the life out of her. Something very cold ran down her spine when, in that exact moment, she remembered the old tales she'd read about, realizing that this world of gods and monsters might mark something terrible.

Demigods had apparently never had happy endings.

"Percy?" her mother's voice said, and all of her fears melted in an instant. "Are you here, sweetie?"

She straightened herself, just as the door opened, revealing her beloved mother. Before Percy had the chance to utter a word, she found herself in her mother's tight embrace. She didn't even realize how much she'd needed that, and right then, Percy believed everything would play out just fine. Her mom smelled like chocolate cake and the delicious candy from the store she worked at. It felt like an eternity when her mother finally let go of her, but Percy didn't mind that at all. She could feel a smile spread over her face as her mom brushed her hair fondly from her face.

"Oh, sweetie, I missed you so much!" Sally exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with warmth. "You look so pretty. Did you get taller? You seem to look taller than the last time I saw you."

Percy rolled her eyes fondly, though her smile betrayed that she didn't mind her mother's questions. "I missed you, too, Mom. And last time I checked, I was still at miserable five feet."

Being on the tiny side of human population sucked, but it also had many advantages.

Sally continued to smile, her gaze wandering over her daughter as if she wanted to imprint every last inch of her forever in her brain. Percy couldn't help but remember the times her mother had told her how similar she looked to her father because in that moment, Percy saw the resemblance between herself and her mom more than she'd ever had. They shared the same ivory complexion, the same petite and small figure, their mouth shape and their noses were the same, just like their soft facial features. Though, where Percy still had that child-like softness, her mother's features were soft and classic in a timeless, elegant manner.

"So, how was your time at school?" Sally asked, and when she caught Percy's gaze wandering toward the report card on the table, she just laughed. "We can talk about that later, sweetie. I just want to know right now how you are. Is everything okay?"

Percy didn't tell her everything at once. First, she simply talked about her term, the friends she'd made, Aiden Butler, Nancy Bobofit, and everything else that wouldn't erupt into a serious, life-changing conversation. They drank hot cocoa and shared the chocolate and the other candy Sally had brought from work, and it was only when they settled into silence that Percy dared to ask, "Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, Percy?"

"My ..." She hesitated for a moment, wondering if maybe her mother did _not_ know about it all, before deciding to come out with it like it was, "My father's Poseidon, right?"

Sally froze.

Right in that moment, thunder resounded outside.

Percy fidgeted nervously in her seat, tugging on the hem of her top. Her mother seemed speechless. She stared into her cup of hot cocoa for a minute or two before lifting her gaze, looking at Percy with tired, tired eyes. "How –" Her voice seemed to break there for a moment. "How do you know?"

That was it.

That was the spark she needed to have the anxiety lingering above her come crashing down on her.

"I just …" She raised one small shoulder, looking uncertain. "I just kind of found out."

Her mother stared at her.

Then, she got to her feet, pacing along the kitchen, and Percy had to admit she'd never seen her mom look so distraught before. Her forehead was scrunched up in worry lines, the smile disappearing from her eyes. She stopped in front of the window, looking outside in a way that told Percy she was searching for something dangerous. Something that might attack them. Her mom stepped away from the window, turning around to face her, "That's not it, Percy. Tell me everything now."

Thunder resounded again, and this time, beautiful, deadly lightning flashed across the sky.

Percy opened her mouth and started to tell her mom everything, the words pouring out of her like a waterfall. She told her mom about their visit at the museum and how her powers had reacted to her anger, she told her about Mrs Dodds and how the old woman had turned into a monster, a Fury. She talked about how everyone seemed to believe there had never been a Mrs Dodds, and how the research she'd done had led her to realize she was the daughter of Poseidon, the Sea God. With each word she uttered, the horror on Sally's face grew, reflecting in her eyes among shock and a quickly larger becoming fear that made Percy feel anxious and tense.

"I can't believe it," Sally muttered more to herself than to Percy. "I cannot believe it. They told me you'd be safe! They told me you had someone to protect you! And still, here you are, telling me that a Kindly One attacked you in the middle of the school, even though they were responsible for your safety; they promised me you'd be safe!"

Percy furrowed her brow in confusion, leaning forward to grab her mother's hand in reassurance. "Who, Mom? Who told you that?"

Her mom looked at her silently, a battle of emotions seeming to pass through her eyes, before she sighed in defeat. She sat down again, tightening her grip on her daughter's hand. "Percy, I didn't want this for you," she said quietly, the anger from before leaving her quickly. "When they told me about it, I didn't know what to do, how to decide. Your father thought it would be the best for you. I'm realizing now that maybe he was right. Maybe I was just too selfish." When Percy's frown deepened, Sally took a huge breath. "There's a summer camp along the side of Long Island, Percy. You have to know, you're not the only demigod. That camp is a place for children like you. Children of the gods. There are dozens of them. From what I've heard about it, it's the safest place for them. For you. The people who run that place prepare you for any monsters that might attack you, because they will. Demigods are constantly being hunted by monsters, because their smell attracts them. The more powerful the child, the more monsters it will draw in. And you, sweetie, are one hell of a powerful demigod being the mortal daughter of Poseidon."

Percy didn't know what to say.

She felt like, right now, her life resembled a roller coaster that took turns at every opportunity that made itself available.

"So when you started your term at Yancy, I was immediately contacted by that camp. They told me one of their keepers found you at the school, that they would send someone to look after you, protect you. I didn't know who it was, but your father always told me the camp had the best kind of people and protectors."

Silence settled in.

Percy stared down at the table, letting the shock rush over her. It wasn't as big as the initial shock she'd had upon finding out her father was Poseidon, but still … she hadn't expected _that._ Briefly, she thought about Mr Liu and the martial arts school. She hadn't been there again, but she'd looked into the book she was given, and maybe her enrolling in that school would prove itself to be worthy.

"My father wanted me to go to that camp?" Percy asked after a few moments of silence that was occasionally broken by lightning and thunder.

"Yes, he did." When Percy looked up, her heart almost stopped right then and there. Tears had gathered in her mother's eyes as she whispered, "Percy, you're my _daughter._ How could I have possibly just given you _away_ to strangers?"

Quickly, Percy got to her feet and rounded the table to pull her mother into a tight hug. She still smelled like candy and chocolate cake and everything that was good in the world, and it was such a comfortable, safe scent that Percy couldn't help but hold on a little tighter. How could she have felt safe at a summer camp when it was her mother she felt safest with? Just the thought of being taken away from her mom struck her down.

"Mom, it's okay," Percy muttered soothingly. "I'm glad you kept me with you."

Sally smiled at her, her eyes shining with warmth as she pressed a kiss to Percy's forehead, feeling relief among other things now. They sat like that for another few minutes, like mother and daughter, while the storm outside subsided a little, leaving the scent of rain and wet earth lingering in the air. The sky began to clear, becoming a lighter blue, allowing the sun to peek through the clouds. The only sound coming in was the screaming of the TV and the voices of Gabe and his poker buddies.

"How do you feel about all that?" Sally asked finally.

Percy knew instantly that she wasn't talking about the camp or any of the other things but about the fact Poseidon was her father. She frowned a little, her mind passing over all those days where she'd hoped for her father to come back from the sea, writing silly, little letters to him she'd never sent away, sitting at the beach in Montauk and hoping for the currents to bring her dad back. She remembered the days where she'd watched other little girls being picked up by their dads from kindergarten or school, them being called _princess_ and swung around in the air, and she remembered the deep longing for a father's strong, protective embrace.

There was a sudden, ugly sadness ascending in her, and Percy had to bite her lip.

 _I'm fucking pissed,_ she wanted to say, but she would never use such language around her mother.

"I'm coping," she said instead, trying to sound cheerful. "At least, I'm trying to."

After another short silence, Sally looked up with a gentle smile on her face, asking, "How do you feel about getting out of here for the weekend?"

"Where to?" Percy asked with interest.

"Hmm, how does Montauk sound for you?"

Percy couldn't help the grin stretching across her face. No matter what she knew about her father now, there was no way she'd ever be able to hate Montauk and its beautiful beach for it. It was the only place, apart from her mother, that had the ability to make her feel _at home_. She felt peaceful there. Balanced. And maybe that _did_ have something to do with her being the daughter of the Sea God, but she couldn't care less.

"Really? Right now?"

Sally smiled, brushing her daughter's hair away from her face. "Right now. Let me just make some Guacamole for Gabe and his friends for the weekend. Then, nothing's going to hold us back from Montauk."

.

.

.

 _T_ he drive to Montauk was a fast one.

As soon as they arrived at their cabin, they broke the wooden boards off from the door and the windows and cleaned everything before grabbing some crackers and heading out toward the beach. The sun was already setting down, and the ocean looked beautiful from afar at twilight. As Percy walked with her mother along the sea's edge, she listened to the stories about her grandparents and the books her mom wanted to write one day. Sally Jackson had always been wanting to become a writer, but after her parents' death, she'd had to give college up. Percy herself didn't remember a lot about Jim and Laura Jackson, her grandparents, she just knew them from her mother's pictures.

"You know, your grandma kept her maiden name, even when she married my father," Sally said with a smile when they paused in their walk. While Percy had changed into denim shorts and a ruffled crop top, Sally wore now a light-green summer dress that brushed her knees ever so slightly; reds and golds shone in her brown hair under the setting sun. "It's something all the women in our family have done, myself included. I think it's a way of keeping some kind of independence."

"Well, I'm grateful for that," Percy replied, scrunching up her nose. "Sally and Percy Ugliano sounds _awful_."

They shivered in horror at that.

As they began to move again, the air around them settled to a soft, silvery blue. Dusk was there, and the sun was gone now, though the light seemed to stay, burning the area where the sea met the sky, and everything else faded into the night. There was a fresh breeze coming off the water, and you could hear the steady rhythm of the waves as they pounded into the shore. The smell of the storm that had raged before still lingered in the air.

"How was it for you, knowing he was a god?" Percy asked after a little while. "Did something change for you?"

Sally smiled a little sadly, and Percy couldn't but notice the look in her mother's deep, blue eyes. It was always there when she remembered her father. There was longing among other things, a deep sadness, and _love_. So much love. "No, sweetie. Of course, it was a big surprise, but … it changed nothing for me. He was still the same man I fell in love with. You see, I've been able to see monsters all my life long. They call people like me clear-sighted mortals. Normally, the Mist hides the things mortals see, it perceives their sight." Percy savored that knowledge, saving it into the back of her head. "Your father was … he made me feel like a queen, like I was on top of the world. He was always so gentle with me."

"How can you still talk about him that way, Mom?" The words just literally burst out of Percy. "Even though he left you? Even though you know he has a wife and other children?"

Her mom's eyes widened in shock, and she looked like she didn't know what to say or how to react for a moment. Eventually, she sighed sadly. "Because I know he didn't leave voluntarily. He had to. Sweetie, you can't hold a god to human morals and standards. There are laws that forbid gods to visit and contact their mortal children. Would he have stayed, monsters would've become more attracted to you because of his presence. It would've been too dangerous for you. But he did visit, you know. One time, just a few days after I gave birth to you."

Percy's eyes widened, her gaze flying up to her mother. "He did?"

"Yes, he did," Sally smiled fondly. "Funny thing is, he thought you were a boy at that moment. The doctors told me I was expecting a baby boy, so it was a total shock to your father when he came that evening, only to discover he had a daughter. His first daughter at that. Yes, sweetie, your father is known for only having sons so far. You were so special to him, and you still are. He held you in his arms, and you smiled at him. It's one of the most precious memories I have. He told you how much he loved you, and he gave you his blessing. I believe gods don't give out blessings like that every day, and I also believe that this blessing was one of the biggest factors you weren't seriously attacked before now. Monsters usually go after demigods when they're around twelve years old."

"I … I didn't know that," Percy said quietly.

"I know you didn't," Sally answered. "I think it would be best for you to go to that camp after our weekend. You don't have to stay there forever, you know. Not anymore. You're old enough to have the permission to leave the camp after the summer and come back to me. I have to admit, I don't like it at all, because it means revealing you to danger, instead of hiding you from it, but I think the time has come for you to learn about who you are."

Percy could feel the betraying prickle of tears at the back of her eyes.

Her feelings for her father were conflicted. She was angry with him for leaving, letting them stay with Gabe, not once coming around to look after them, but at the same time, her mother's words had opened her eyes a little. When Percy closed her eyes now, she could picture a warm glow – maybe something akin to a smile – she remembered occasionally, and she wanted to believe it was something from her father. And she still didn't know what to think about that camp. Maybe she should give it a chance. Maybe she should stay away from it as far as possible.

"Mom, how can you still love him after all this time?" Percy asked softly, only to be met with an equally soft smile.

"That's the thing about love, sweetie. You just don't let go; no matter how bad it hurts, or how complicated everything gets."

.

.

.

A few hours later, when Percy and Sally had already settled into their beds, a loud roar disturbed the silence like a sudden flash of lightning.

Only when Percy bolted upwards in her bed, she found out there had been, indeed, a flash of lightning. The storm from before had returned, and it was raining heavily, the drops crashing down on the roof and the windows. Thunder bellowed so loudly, it was almost deafening. Percy could feel the aftershocks of it in the form of trembles running through her body. She'd had a nightmare, before the animalistic roar coming from outside had woken her up. It had been Mrs Dodds and her again, in the classroom, but this time, everything had seemed like it was in slow motion. Percy didn't remember all the details anymore, but she could swear Mrs Dodds' eyes had flashed golden in the dream.

She flinched when another roar echoed through the storm outside, but much closer now, and her eyes flew to her mother who was also sitting upright in her bed, her eyes wide and awake.

"Percy," Sally said dangerously calm, "Get out of your bed and take your things. We're getting out of here. Now."

Percy didn't dare object. Where her mother seemed to appear completely calm, she could feel the panic radiating from herself, because she _knew_ what the roar outside meant – a monster; one who seemed to be entirely too close. She kicked the comforter off and got to her feet, scurrying around the room and gathering her clothes to stuff them back into her backpack.

"Here, Percy." She turned around to face her mom, only to furrow her brow when she saw her holding a knife toward her. "Take this. I have one, too. It's made of Celestial Bronze, the only thing that can successfully kill monsters. I've always kept some with me, just in case."

Having no time to wonder if the one she'd used against Mrs Dodds had been Celestial Bronze, Percy took the knife, but the frown didn't leave her face. "Mom, what's going on? What are we going to do?"

"We're going to bring you to the camp your father talked about," Sally answered, throwing a jacket over herself. "I thought we would have a little time left to enjoy the weekend, but … it's too late. It's too dangerous. Come on, sweetie, we have to get the car started."

"What if we don't make it in time?" Percy blurted out. "What if _it_ catches up with us?"

"If it does, we'll …" The door crashed open. Chunks of wood flew across the room, and the monster appearing in the doorway roared in fury before settling its black eyes on them. Sally swallowed hard as she deadpanned, "Fight."

The sight of the monster made Percy's skin crawl. It was huge, his top half bulky and fuzzy. Its head was larger than the rest of its body, and it had _horns._ And Percy was pretty sure she knew what this monster was, because she'd stumbled upon it in the books quite a few times. Before she could tell her mom this was the Minotaur, the monster narrowed its black eyes at her and dashed forward, his head lowered as if wanting to pierce her on its horns. The knife dropped from her hands as Percy raised them to protect herself, clinging to the horns to prevent herself from turning into a bloody mess of meat hanging from the Minotaur's horns.

"Percy, his sight and hearing are terrible!" she heard her mother call. "He goes by smell!"

Her blood turned cold as she saw her mom charging at the Minotaur, trying to hit him with her knife, but the monster only roared in fury. It swung its meaty hands around, flinging her mom away from him. She crashed into the opposite wall, just as deadly lightning flashed in front of their cabin door.

Percy found herself flying across the room as well, the monster had managed to shake her grip from its horns. She tasted blood in her mouth as she crashed into the wall, and oddly enough, she could detect the smell of ozone. The tiny hairs on her body suddenly stood on end. There was a ringing in her ears, maybe something akin to a warning, because in that moment, lightning crashed through the roof right into her. Percy managed to skitter to the side, but she was still close enough to feel the prickle run across her skin.

She couldn't breathe for a moment.

Her limbs felt too numb to move.

"Percy!" She heard her mother cry, and when she turned around, she found her at her side. "When he sees us, he'll charge. Wait until the last second, then jump out of the way – directly sideways. He can't change directions very well once he's charging. Do you understand?"

She nodded, still feeling numb, but the beeping in her ears was already subsiding. Percy knew exactly where the lightning had come from, she knew there was only one deity who had control over that deadly, sudden flash. Their knives were lying across the room, and there was no possibility of getting them. An idea was forming in her head, forming rapidly, and before her mother could say anything, Percy had already gotten to her feet and was running toward the Minotaur. He released a deafening roar as she managed to kick him in his torso, making him stumble back a few steps.

 _C'mon, Zeus, come on,_ she thought desperately, hoping her stupid, stupid plan would work. _I know you want to do it. Show me some lightning._

She had to trust her instincts. She just _had_ to.

And then, the hairs on her body stood again. The ringing returned to her ears, a cold, anxious chill rolled down her spine. Just seconds before it happened, Percy jumped to the side, just like her mother had told her to do. The Minotaur was momentarily confused by her movement, snapping forward to where she'd been standing, and that was his mistake. Lightning struck through the ceiling, straight into the huge form of the monster. Percy found herself hurled back by the pressure and sheer force of the lightning, landing flat on her back next to her mom. It hurt like a bitch, knocking the breath out of her lungs.

The Minotaur roared in pain and agony as he burned and smoked and sizzled before exploding into a cloud of monster dust.

Outside, the storm subsided.

Silence settled in, deafening and deadly.

"Sweetie, remind me to ground you when you're home again," Sally said with a little hysteria clinging to her voice. "That was the stupidest, most dangerous thing you could have ever done!"

Percy chuckled tiredly, "Yeah, but it worked."

.

.

.

"I only have to stay there for the summer, right?" Percy asked hesitantly. "I can come back to you when school will start again."

After their fight with the Minotaur, they had left their cabin in a hurry, taking all their things and loading them into the car. Her mother had driven them straight to where that Camp Half-Blood, so its name, was, explaining her everything on their way. It was getting too dangerous for Percy, being in the mortal world, let alone being there without having any training. She didn't like that she had to go there, to be honest, but she saw where her mom was coming from. The fight with the Minotaur had been the last straw, though Percy didn't understand what kind of problem her uncle had, attacking them with fucking lightning like that.

"Of course, sweetie," Sally replied and pulled her into a tight hug. "Call me if you can, okay? They've got to have a phone there."

"Okay," Percy agreed quietly, and in the next minute, "I still don't want to go."

They were standing on the hill bordering the camp, and dawn had already broken in. The grass was wet and slippery from the rain, but it was glowing a healthy green, and everything looked like it had been washed clean. The approaching rays of the sun felt gentle and comforting, but it didn't help Percy to feel better in the slightest. She was still dressed in her pajamas and a denim jacket, but thankfully, she had her bag filled with her clothes and toiletries. Her hair was a mess, she just knew that, and her face felt tired and raw.

Sally smiled, a watery smile, her eyes shining with love and unshed tears. She caressed Percy's cheeks fondly. "You know, sweetie, sometimes you just have to do what needs to be done. Even if other people disagree."

She had no idea how much that sentence would come to haunt her in her later years.

"Are you ready?"

Percy shook her head. "No … but I will be."

One last tight hug, and then, they parted ways. Percy turned around and looked at the huge tree marking the border of Half-Blood Hill. When she set to move, a mystical, sudden wind rose in the air, blowing through her long, dark hair. She cast a glance over her shoulder, seeing her mother standing there, her hands clasped to her chest, a sad and melancholic smile lingering on her face. Percy smiled at her before walking further.

When she finally crossed the barrier, she felt like, in that moment, she'd sealed her own fate.

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** And that's it! We're entering Camp Half-Blood now!

To tell you the truth, I'm not really satisfied with this chapter. I don't know why, it was just hard to write, and I rewrote it so many times that, eventually, I was just like _fuck it, if I'm gonna continue rewriting, I'll just make it worse._ But I hope you guys will at least like it! :) I included a lot of things in this chapter – Gabe, Percy's talk with her mom, the fight with the Minotaur, and Percy going to the camp. I also included something that foreshadows a certain darkness Percy's had in her all along – her intense hate of Gabe, which _is_ unhealthy for a girl her age. I wanted to show with it that there's always been something inside her that will continue to make her character grow darker as the story progresses.

Also, **an important information for you guys:** I've decided to set an update rhythm. So, you can anticipate a new chapter once a week, on every Wednesday. I've got _The Lightning Thief_ completely planned out, and I altered its timeline, so it's gonna be a massive Canon Divergent.

 **About the pairing:** First of, a huge thank to everyone who left a vote! As you can see below, Apollo's had by far the most votes. Now, now, before any of you go on a sulking road, I can guarantee you that it's _not_ going to be easy for Percy and Apollo to get together at last. Their relationship won't be sunshine and rainbows _at all._ Apollo's going to be one of the darkest characters I'll introduce in this series, if not the darkest. Prepare yourself for an obsessive, possessive, and jealous Sun God. Their relationship is going to be one of the most complicated and twisted ones Percy will generally have with any of the characters.

So, yeah, it's official now. The end pairing will be Fem!Percy/Apollo.

* * *

 **Thank you so, so much for all your reviews! I'm blown away by the response!**

 **Nightsky1290:** Hey, thanks for reviewing! It's definitely going to be Dark!Apollo, who has a humorous side that will be more dark and twisted than actually light-heartedly funny.

 **OriontheGreat:** Thank you! Your reviews are awesome, seriously! :) And yeah, I have to give you another thanks, because you totally got me on an idea when you mentioned Percy using guns, lol.

 **dreamwalkerlisa:** Oh, thanks so much, that's really sweet! I'm so happy you like my approach to a new Percy! :)

 **Dark Serpent Cat:** True! I think I might include something on that, though I doubt it'll be in _The Lightning Thief_ part. As for villains developing obsessive lust – I'm not against it! In fact, you've got me to develop an idea, and that's one of the reasons why I love getting reviews from you guys! You all are, like, my muses, haha.

 **babasosis:** Thanks for reviewing! Well, there's some Fem!Percy stories I can definitely suggest you to read: _Daughter of Broken Vows,_ by _Just A Drop In The Ocean_ (She has several other Fem!Percy stories, so you can check them out, too). Then, there's _The Light Before We Land,_ by _Felicity Dream._ It's probably THE Fem!Percy story in this fandom, haha. One of my personal favorites is also _Uphill and Against the Wind,_ by , but sadly, this fic hasn't been updated in years. I might actually send you a list of some good stories later by PM. And to answer your question – yes, Annabeth is older, too. Everyone who was the same age like Percy or born later (like Jason, Piper, Leo, etc.) were aged by two years. So that means that Bianca and Nico will stay the ages they originally are, as they both were born before Percy.

 **Guest:** Yes, yes, I totally agree with you! I've only read _The Hidden Oracle_ so far, and it was enough for me, believe me. I'm not planning on reading the next books. The way Apollo was portrayed there was just so cringe-worthy, I couldn't take him serious at all. You'd expect an ancient deity to be … well, more mature and smarter, but nooo. Honestly, if Riordan wants to write more on the PJ-Verse, he shouldn't take a god, because writing from the perspective of a Greek God in a kid-friendly way is just … nearly impossible, especially with a Greek god like Apollo. I also mostly agree with you on the Percy part – I do like him, but sometimes, I just wanted to slap my hand against my forehead. It's not really his character that made me react that way, it was more the way how he quickly got over anything. Like, for example, when he was in Tartarus with Annabeth. You'd think a person would grow darker at his core after literally going through hell, but sadly, not so in the House of Hades. The character development was really the biggest issue I had.

* * *

 **PAIRING VOTES**

Percy x Apollo (32x)

Percy x Clarisse (14x)

Percy x Thalia (20x)

Percy x Piper (2x)

Percy x Luke (3x)

Percy x Bianca x Zoë

Percy x Hermes (3x)

Percy x Zeus

Percy x Nico (7x)

Percy x Jason (6x)

Percy x Katie

Percy x Malcolm

Percy x Connor

 **THE VOTE IS CLOSED NOW!**


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